a.  J 


'^'ncr^ 


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The    Prompt  -  Book. 

Edited  by   Williafn   Winter. 


Shakespeai^e  s    Tragedy 


Of 


7^  Hamlet  t^ 


As  Presented  by 


Edwin    Booth 


Lord  Hamlet  is  a  Prince. 


"The  expectancy  atid  rose  of  the  fair  state. 


"  There  ' s  soiizething  in  his  soul 
O'er  which  his  melaticJioly  sits  on  brood.' 


"  The  native  hue  of  resolution 
Is  sicklied  der  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought. ' 


The  time  is  out  of  joint:  O,  cursed  spite 
That  ever  I  was  born  to  set  it  right." 


New  -  York  : 

Printed,  for  Wiliiaffi  Winter,  by 

Francis  Hart  6-=  Company,  6j  and  6^  Murray  Street. 

1878. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1878, 

By  William  Winter, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


[(Cftirb  4Sbition.] 


Press  of 
'Francis  Hart  &  Co. 


CKJ 


preface. 


'nr^Hls  version  of  '''-Hamlet,'''  ivhich^  in  its  construction 
J-  and  embellish?nent,  is  unlike  all  others,  has  been  made 
for  practical  use  on  the  stage.  It  is  shorter  tha?i  the  original 
by  about  one  thousand  lines.  The  passages  excluded  are 
those  which,  it  is  thought,  anight  prove  tedious  in  the  repre- 
sentation, and  which,  therefore,  7?iay  well  be  spared.  Among 
them  are  the  episode  of  Fortinbras,  the  colloquy  between 
Polo7iius  and  Rey?ialdo,  and  the  ititerview  betwixt  Hamlet  w^ 
and  the  Norwegian  soldiers.  Certai?i  speeches  which  moment- 
arily arrest  the  action  of  the  piece — such  as  that  of  Horatio 
on  the  prepa7'ations  for  war,  and  that  of  Hamlet  on  the 
custom  of  revelry,  in  Denmark — have  beeji  rejected,  as 
impediments  to  directness  of  dramatic  effect.  The  excisions 
also  include  dialogues,  such  as  those  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fourth  act,  which  are  but  the  descriptive  repetition  of  action 
that  has  already  been  shown,  or  the  narratiofi  of  incident 
that  has  been  distinctly  implied.  Passages  which  do  but 
amplify  and  reiterate  ideas  that  have  previously  been  made 
sufficiently  clear  for  the  practical  purposes  of  the  stage  have 
likeiuise  been  discarded.      The  senility  of  jRosencrantz  and 

95v'583 


Guiidejisteni,  for  example^  is  known  weil  enough  without 
their  candied  and  fawning  speeches  to  the  kifig,  after  the 
play -scene  J  and  both  Hamlefs  mental  vacillatiofi  and  the 
springs  of  it  a7'e  plainly  evident  lofig  before  he  reaches  his 
monologue  on  the  expedition  of  Fortinbras.  In  a  few 
instances  lines  of  the  origi7ial  have  been  transposed :  in  a 
very  few  instances  words  have  been  altered —  but  7iever  to  the 
perversion  of  the  7neaning.  Coarse  phrases  have  been  cast 
aside,  or  softejied,  wherever  they  occur.  In  the  fourth  act, 
Marcellus,  instead  of  Horatio,  has  been  made  to  announce 
the  mad?iess  of  Ophelia,  and  to  attend  upon  her — for  the 
reason  that  had  Horatio  bee?i  aware  of  her  calamity  he  must 
have  communicated  it  to  Hamlet  prior  to  their  encounter 
with  the  funej'al  procession  in  the  church-yard.  Care  has 
been  particularly  take7i  to  077iit  7iothi7ig  that  is  esse7itial  to  the 
expositio7i  of  Ha77ilefs  77iad7iess,  and  of  the  77te7ital  co7idition 
that  leads  hi77i  to  assume  it.  "  Ha7nlet's  wild7iess,"  says 
Cole7'idge,  "is  but  half  false:  he  plays  that  subtle  trick  of 
pretendi7ig  to  act,  only  whe7i  he  is  very  near  really  bei7ig  what 
he  acts'^  The  point  is  a  subtle  07ie,  and  of  i7n77ie7ise  impor- 
tance to  the  comprehe7isio7i  of  the  character.  It  has  been 
steadily  kept  in  view  j  a7id  the  clearness  and  fulbiess  of  all 
the  characters  i77iplicated  have  bee7i  studiously  sought,  i7i  the 
7iecessary  co7ide7isatio7i  of  the  piece.  I/i  brief,  a  conscie7itious 
effort  has  here  been  ?jiade  to  co7istruct  an  acti7ig  versio7i  of 
^ Ha7nlet'"  which  yet  should  escape  the  reproach  of  having 
ga7'bled  the  07iginal.  "  The  theat7ical  copies  of  Shakespeare's 
plays,^'  says  Charles  Cow  den  Cla7'ke,  "are  so  7iotoriously 
abridged  that  it  is  i77ipossible,  by  the7n,  to  judge  fairly  of  the 
poefs  deli7ieation  of  character,  who  never  wrote  a  li7ie  that 
did  7 lot  harmonize  with,  and  te7id  to  define,  the  portrait  he 
was  Ii77i7nng.^' —  To  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  stage  ivithout 


sacrificbig  the  beauties  of  the  author^  and  to  presejit  Hamlet 
clearly  without  keeping  him  too  lo?ig  in  the picblic  eye,  will  ?iof, 
at  least,  be  thought  an  i?ijudicious  endeavor.  The  tragedy  is 
here  set  forth  precisely  as  it  is  presented  by  Edwin  Booth  : 
that  is  to  say,  with  the  arrangeme?it  of  scenes  and  the  stage- 
directions  made  and  used  by  him.  The  Appendix,  for  which, 
of  course,  the  Editor  is  alone  responsible  to  critical  Judgment, 
contains  I'emarks  upon  the  character  and  information 
respecting  the  tragedy  of  ^'- Hamlet^''  which  it  is  hoped  may 
prove  useful — at  least  by  way  of  suggestion  —  to  theatrical 
students. 

w.  n: 

JVew-  York,  Feb.  yth,  1878. 


^'^  Shakespeare  is  a  being  of  a  higher  nature,  to  whom  I  do  but  look  up, 
and  whom  it  is  my  part  to  worship  a7id  to  honour." — Goethe. 


"  Once  more  assay 
The  bitter-sweet  of  this  Shakespearean  fruit."— YLeKTS. 


' '  Gervinus  remarks  that  whenever  the  name  of  Shakespeare  is  mentioned, 
the  play  of  ' Hamlet'  first  comes  to  remembrance :  and  John  Kemble  ob- 
served that  in  every  copy  of  Shakespeare  s  works  it  appeared  that  'Hamlet ' 
had  been  the  play  most  read."— Dr.  Conolly. 


Flame  trembles  most  ivhen  it  doth  highest  rise." — Davenant. 


' '  We  have  here  an  oak  planted  in  a  costly  vase,  fit  only  to  receive  lovely 
flowers  within  its  bosom  :  the  roots  spread,  and  burst  the  vase." — GoETHE, 


"  Self  disgust 
Gnaws  at  the  roots  of  being,  and  doth  hang 
A  heavy  sickness  on  the  beams  of  day. 
Cursed  !  accursed  be  the  freaks  of  nature. 
That  mar  us  from  ourselves." — HoRNE. 


' '  He  has  the  desire  and  the  power  to  accomplish  great  things,  but  it  must 
be  in  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  his  ozvn  thoughts,  and  by  his  own  independ- 
ent, original,  and  creative  energy.  *  *  *  The  poor  plans  and  intetitions  of 
man  do  not  miscarry  through  the  weakness  of  their  authors,  but  their  base- 
less projects  are  also,  by  an  httnnsic  necessity,  as  frequently  crossed  and 
frustrated  by  the  equally  baseless  empire  of  chance." — Ulrici. 


Wide  yaw?is  the  grave  ;  dull  tolls  the  solemn  bell ; 
Dark  lie  the  dead;  and  long  the  last  farewell."— Vsli-LSOli. 


^er^on^   itepre^ehtcb* 


Claudius,  King  of  Denmark. 

Hamlet,  Prince  of  Denmark,  Nephew  to  Claudius. 

Ghost  of  King  Hamlet,  Father  to  the  Prince. 

polonius,  the  lord  chamberlain. 

Laertes,  Son  to  Polonius. 

Horatio,  Friend  to  Hamlet. 

rosencrantz,     | 

GUILDENSTERN,    \  COURTIERS. 
OSRIC,  J 

Marcellus,  ] 

J>  Officers. 
Bernardo,    j 

Francisco,  a  Soldier. 

Several  Players. 

First  and  Second  Grave-diggers. 

A  Priest. 

Gertrude,  Queen  of  Denmark,  Mother  to  Hamlet. 

Ophelia,  Daughter  to  Polonius. 

Lords,  Ladies,  Officers,  Soldiers,  Pages,  etc. 


^late  anb  €x\m. 


Scene. — Elsinore^  in  Denmark. 

Period. — The  Eleventh  Cetitury. 

Time  of  Action. — Between   Two  and  Three  Months. 


HAMLET.  . 
^" 

&  jr.    .  j  Elsinore.       a  Platform  before   the 

SJCene  Jfim.  ^      Castle.     Full  Stage.     Moonlight. 

[jFra/idsco,  as  sentinel  on  guards  discovered  at  his 
post.     Etiter  to  him  Bernardo. 

Ber. 

Who  's  there  ? 

Fran. 
Nay,  answer  me ;  stand,  and  unfold  yourself. 

Ber. 
Long  hve  the  king ! 

Fran. 
Bernardo  ? 

Ber. 
He. 

Fra?i. 
You  come  most  carefully  upon  your  hour. 

Ber. 
'T  is  now  struck  twelve ;  get  thee  to  bed,  Francisco. 

Fran. 
For  this  relief  much  thanks  :  't  is  bitter  cold, 
And  I  am  sick  at  heart. 


v"^' 


HAMLET. 


Ber. 
Have  you  had  quiet  guard  ? 

Fran. 
Not  a  mouse  stirring. 

Ber. 

Well,  good  night. 

If  you  do  meet  Horatio  and  Marcellus, 

The  rivals  of  my  watch,  bid  them  make  haste. 

Fran. 
I  think  I  hear  them. —  Stand,  ho  !     Who 's  there  ? 

\Exit  Francisco. 

Horatio. 
Friends  to  this  ground. 

Mar. 
And  liegemen  to  the  Dane. 

Fran. 
Give  you  good  night. 

Mar. 
O,  farewell,  honest  soldier  : 
Who  hath  relieved  you  ? 

Fran. 
Bernardo  hath  my  place. 
Give  you  good  night. 

Mar. 
Holla !  Bernardo ! 

[Enter  Horatio  and  Marcellus. 

Ber. 


^    Spoken  within. 


Say. 

What !  is  Horatio  there  ? 


Horatio. 


.  A  piece  of  him. 


HAMLET.  1 1 

Ber. 
Welcome,  Horatio  : — welcome,  good  Marcellus. 

Mar. 
What !  has  this  thing  appeared  again  to-night  ? 

Ber. 
I  have  seen  nothing. 

Mar. 

Horatio  says  't  is  but  our  fantasy, 

And  will  not  let  belief  take  hold  of  him 

Touching  this  dreaded  sight,  twice  seen  of  us  : 

Therefore  I  have  entreated  him  along 

With  us  to  watch  the  minutes  of  this  nigh^; 

That,  if  again  this  apparition  come. 

He  may  approve  our  eyes,  and  speak  to  it. 

Horatio. 
Tush,  tush,  't  will  not  appear. 

Ber. 

Come,  let  us  once  again  assail  your  ears, 
That  are  so  fortified  against  our  story, 
What  we  two  nights  have  seen. 

Horatio. 
Well,  let  us  hear  Bernardo  speak  of  this. 

Ber. 

Last  night  of  all. 

When  yond'  same  star  that 's  westward  from  the  pole 

Had  made  his  course  to  illume  that  part  of  heaven 

Where  now  it  burns,  Marcellus  and  myself, 

The  bell  then  beating  one, — 

Mar. 
Peace,  break  thee  off;  look,  where  it  comes  again ! 

[Enter  Ghost  frovi  Castle  c. 


HAMLET.  12 

Ber. 

In  the  same  figure,  like  the  king  that 's  dead. 
Looks  it  not  hke  the  king  ? 

Horatio. 
Most  like  : — it  harrows  me  with  fear  and  wonder. 

Ber. 
It  would  be  spoke  to. 

Mar. 
Speak  to  it,  Horatio. 

Horatio. 

What  art  thou,  that  usurp'st  this  time  of  night. 

Together  with  that  fair  and  warlike  form 

In  which  the  majesty  of  buried  Denmark 

Did  sometimes  march  ?  by  heaven  I  charge  thee,  speak ! 

Mar. 
It  is  offended. 

Ber. 

See,  it  stalks  away ! 

Horatio. 

Stay !  speak,  speak !  I  charge  thee,  speak ! 

\Exit  Ghost  R.  I.E. 

Mar. 

'T  is  gone,  and  will  not  answer. 
Ber. 
How  now,  Horatio  !  you  tremble,  and  look  pale  : 
Is  not  this  something  more  than  fantasy  ? 
What  think  you  on  't  ? 

Horatio. 

Before  my  God,  I  might  not  this  believe 
Without  the  sensible  and  true  avouch 
Of  mine  own  eyes. 


HA^ILET.  13 

Mar. 

Is  it  not  like  the  king  ? 

Horatio. 

As  thou  art  to  thyself: 
Such  was  the  very  armour  he  had  on 
When  he  the  ambitious  Norway  combated  ; 
So  frowned  he  once,  when,  in  an  angry  parle. 
He  smote  the  sledded  Polack  on  the  ice. 
'T  is  strange. 

Mar. 

Thus,  twice  before,  and  just  at  this  dead  hour, 
With  martial  stalk  hath  he  gone  by  our  watch. 

Horatio. 
In  what  particular  thought  to  work  I  know  not ; 
But,  in  the  gross  and  scope  of  my  opinion. 
This  bodes  some  strange  eruption  to  our  state. 
But,  soft,  behold  !  lo  where  it  comes  again ! 

[Re-enter  Ghost  r.  2.  e. 
I  '11  cross  it,  though  it  blast  me. —  Stay,  illusion  I 
If  thou  hast  any  sound,  or  use  of  voice, 
Speak  to  me  : 

If  there  be  any  good  thing  to  be  done. 
That  may  to  thee  do  ease,  and  grace  to  me. 
Speak  to  me  : 

If  thou  art  privy  to  thy  country's  fate, 
Which,  happily,  foreknowing  may  avoid, 
O,  speak ! 

Or  jf  thou  hast  uphoarded  in  thy  life 
Extorted  treasure  in  the  womb  of  earth. 
For  which,  they  say,  you  spirits  oft  walk  in  death. 
Speak  of  it : — stay,  and  speak  ! 

Mar. 
'T  is  gone. 

[Exit  Ghost  L.  I.  E. 
Ber. 

It  was  about  to  speak  when  the  cock  crew. 


HAMLET. 

Horatio. 

And  then  it  started,  like  a  guilty  thing 
Upon  a  fearful  summons.     I  have  heard, 
The  cock,  that  is  the  trumpet  to  the  morn, 
Doth  with  his  lofty  and  shrill-sounding  throat 
Awake  the  god  of  day ;  and,  at  his  warning, 
Whether  in  sea  or  fire,  in  earth  or  air, 
The  extravagant  and  erring  spirit  hies 
To  his  confine. 

Some  say,  that  ever  'gainst  that  season  comes 
Wherein  our  Saviour's  birth  is  celebrated. 
This  bird  of  dawning  singeth  all  night  long  : 
And  then,  they  say,  no  spirit  can  walk  abroad ; 
The  nights  are  wholesome ;  then  no  planets  strike ; 
No  fairy  takes,  nor  witch  hath  power  to  charm ; 
So  hallowed  and  so  gracious  is  the  time. 
But,  look,  the  morn,  in  russet  mantle  clad, 
Walks  o'er  the  dew  of  yon  high  eastern  hill. 
Break  we  our  watch  up  :  and,  by  my  advice, 
Let  us  impart  what  we  have  seen  to-night 
Unto  young  Hamlet ;  for,  upon  my  life. 
This  spirit,  dumb  to  us,  will  speak  to  him. 


\ExeHfit  c. 


Ak.»»»  A^..^^"»*   S  Elsinore.     a  Room  of  State  in  the 
Sctiw  t,WDnlr.  j      Castle. 

\Ejiter  the  Kifig,  Quee?t,  Polonius^  Lacrtrs.  Lords^ 
and  Atte7idants. 

King. 

Though  yet  of  Hamlet  our  dear  brother's  death 

The  memory  be  green ;  and  that  it  us  befitted 

To  bear  our  hearts  in  grief,  and  our  whole  kingdom 

To  be  contracted  in  one  brow  of  woe ; 

Yet  so  far  hath  diS(5rfe'tioh  fought  with  nature, 

That  we  with  wisest  sorrow  think  on  him, 

ToQjether  with  remembrance  of  ourselves. 


HAMLET.  I^ 

Therefore,  our  sometime  sister,  now  our  queen, 
The  imperial  jointress  of  this  warUke  state, 
Have  we,  as  't  were  with  a  defeated  joy, — 
Taken  to  wife  :  nor  have  we  herein  barred 
Your  better  wisdoms,  which  have  freely  gone 
With  this  affair  along  : — for  all,  our  thanks. 
And  now,  Laertes,  what 's  the  news  with  you  ? 

\Laertes  kneels. 
You  told  us  of  some  suit ;  what  is  't,  Laertes  ? 
You  cannot  speak  of  reason  to  the  Dane, 
And  lose  your  voice  ;  what  wouldst  thou  beg,  Laertes, 
That  shall  not  be  my  offer,  not  thy  asking  ? 
The  head  is  not  more  native  to  the  heart, 
The  hand  more  instrumental  to  the  mouth. 
Than  is  the  throne  of  Denmark  to  thy  father. 
What  wouldst  thou  have,  Laertes  ? 

Laer. 

Dread  my  lord, 

Your  leave  and  favor  to  return  to  France ; 

From  whence  though  willingly  I  came  to  Denmark, 

To  show  my  duty  in  your  coronation ; 

Yet  now,  I  must  confess,  that  duty  done, 

My  thoughts  and  wishes  bend  again  toward  France, 

And  bow  them  to  your  gracious  leave  and  pardon. 

King. 
Have  you  your  father's  leave  ?     What  says  Polonius  ? 

Pol. 
He  hath,  my  lord,  wrung  from  me  my  slow  leave 
By  laboursome  petition  ;  and,  at  last. 
Upon  his  will  I  sealed  my  hard  consent : 
I  do  beseech  you,  give  him  leave  to  go. 

King. 

Take  thy  fair  hour,  Laertes  ;  time  be  thine. 
And  thy  best  graces  spend  it  at  thy  will !  — 

\Ejiter  Hamlet  c. 
But  now,  my  cousin  Hamlet,  and  my  son, — 


HAMLET.  l6 

Hamlet.  \Asidc. 

A  little  more  than  kin  and  less  than  kind. 

Ki?ig. 
How  is  it  that  the  clouds  still  hang  on  you  ? 

Hamlet. 
Not  so,  my  lord ;  I  am  too  much  i'  the  sun.  p"  -  ^ 

[  The  King,  Polonius,  and  Laertes  retire  r. 

Queen, 
Good  Hamlet,  cast  thy  nighted  colour  off, 
And  let  thine  eye  look  like  a  friend  on  Denmark. 
Do  not  forever  with  thy  vailed  lids 
Seek  for  thy  noble  father  in  the  dust  : 
Thou  know'st  't  is  common, —  all  that  live  must  die. 
Passing  through  nature  to  eternity. 

Hamlet. 
Ay,  madam,  it  is  common,     f^'^-*^,  lO(%^^- 

Queen. 

If  it  be. 

Why  seems  it  so  particular  with  thee  ? 

Hamlet. 

Seems,  madam !  nay,  it  is ;  I  know  not  seems. 
'T  is  not  alone  my  inky  cloak,  good  mother, 
Nor  customary  suits  of  solemn  black. 
No,  nor  the  fruitful  river  in  the  eye, 
Nor  the  dejected  haviour  of  the  visage. 
Together  with  all  forms,  modes,  shows  of  grief. 
That  can  denote  me  truly  :  these,  indeed,  seem, 
For  they  are  actions  that  a  man  might  play  : 
But  I  have  that  within  which  passeth  show ; 
These  but  the  trappings  and  the  suits  of  woe. 

[jExit  Laertes,   leaving  the   King  and  FoloJiius. 
The  Kimr  advaiices. 


HAMLET. 


King. 


'T  is  sweet  and  commendable  in  your  nature,  Hamlet, 

To  give  these  mourning  duties  to  your  father : 

But,  you  must  know,  your  father  lost  a  father; 

That  father  lost,  lost  his ;  and  the  survivor  bound. 

In  filial  obligation,  for  some  term 

To  do  obsec^uious  sorrow ;  but  to  persever 

In  obstinate  condolement,  is  a  course 

Of  impious  stubbornness ;  't  is  unmanly  grief : 

i^ylj:  shows  a  will  most  incorrect  to  heaven. 

^^Ve  pray  you,  throw  to  earth 

This  unprevaiHng  woe ;  and  think  of  us 
As  of  a  father :   for  let  the  world  take  note. 
You  are  the  most  immediate  to  our  throne ; 
Our  chiefest  courtier,  cousin,  and  our  son. 

Queen . 

Let  not  thy  mother  lose  her  prayers,  Hamlet : 
I  pray  thee,  stay  with  us ;  go  not  to  Wittenberg. 

Harnlei. 
I  shall  in  all  my  best  obey  you,  madam. 

Kitig. 

Why,  't  is  a  loving  and  a  fair  reply  : 

Be  as  ourself  in  Denmark. — Madam,  come. 

[Folonius  advances  to  yl.  i.  e. 
This  gentle  and  unforced  accord  of  Hamlet 
Sits  smiling  to  my  heart :  in  grace  whereof. 
No  jocund  health  that  Denmark  drinks  to-day, 
But  the  great  cannon  to  the  clouds  shall  tell ; 
x\nd  the  king's  rouse  the  heavens  shall  bruit  again^ 
Re-speaking  earthly  thunder. 

[March.     Exeunt  all  except  Hamlet. 

Hamlet. 

O,  that  this  too,  too  solid  flesh  would  melt, 

Thaw,  and  resolve  itself  into  a  dew  ! 

Or  that  the  Everlasting  had  not  fixed 

His  canon  'gainst  self-slaughter  !     O  God  !     O  God  ! 


HAxMLET.  lii 

How  weary,  stale,  flat,  and  unprofitable 

Seem  to  me  all  the  uses  of  this  world  ! 

Fie  on  't !   O,  fie !  't  is  an  un weeded  garden. 

That  grows  to  seed ;  things  rank  and  gross  in  nature 

Possess  it  merely.     That  it  should  come  to  this  ! 

But  two  months  dead! — nay,  not  so  much,  not  two  : 

So  excellent  a  king  ;  that  was,  to  this, 

Hyperion  to  a  satyr :  so  loving  to  my  mother. 

That  he  might  not  beteem  the  winds  of  heaven 

Visit  her  face  too  roughly.     Heaven  and  earth  ! 

Must  I  remember  ?  why,  she  would  hang  on  him, 

As  if  increase  of  appetite  had  grown 

By  what  it  fed  on  :  and  yet,  within  a  month, — 

Let  me  not  think  on  't; — Frailty,  thy  name  is  woman  1  — 

A  little  month ;  or  ere  those  shoes  were  old 

With  which  she  followed  my  poor  father's  body, 

Like  Niobe,  all  tears  ;  —  why  she,  even  she, — 

O  God  !  a  beast,  that  wants  discourse  of  reason. 

Would  have  mourned  longer, —  married  with  my  uncle; 

My  father's  brother ;  but  no  more  like  my  father 

Than  I  to  Hercules. 

It  is  not,  nor  it  cannot  come  to,  good : 

But  break,  my  heart, —  for  I  must  hold  my  tongue  ! 

\E71ter  Horatio^  Marcellus,  a  fid  Bernardo  c. 

Horatio. 
Hail  to  your  lordship  !     I  am  glad  to  see  you  well : 

Hamlet. 
Horatio, —  or  I  do  forget  mysel-f. 

Horatio. 
The  same,  my  lord,  and  your  poor  servant  ever. 

Hamlet. 

Sir,  my  good  friend ;  I  '11  change  that  name  with  you : 
And  what  make  you  from  Wittenberg,  Horatio  ? — 
Marcellus  ? 

Mar. 
My  good  lord, — 


HAMLET.  19 


Hamlet. 


I  am  very  glad  to  see  you. —  Good  even,  sir. — 
But  what,  in  faith,  make  you  from  Wittenberg  ? 

Horatio. 
A  truant  disposition,  good  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 
1  would  not  hear  your  enemy  say  so ; 
Nor  shall  you  do  mine  ear  that  violence. 
To  make  it  truster  of  your  own  report 
Against  yourself:   I  know  you  are  no  truant. 
But  what  is  your  affair  in  Elsinore  ? 
We  '11  teach  you  to  drink  deep  ere  you  depart. 

Horatio. 
My  lord,  I  came  to  see  your  father's  funeral. 

Hamlet. 
I  pray  thee,  do  not  mock  me,  fellow-student ; 
I  think  it  was  to  see  my  mother's  wedding. 

Horatio. 

Indeed,  my  lord,  it  followed  liard  upon. 

Hamlet. 

Thrift,  thrift,  Horatio  !  the  funeral  baked  meats 
Did  coldly  furnish  forth  the  marriage  tables. 
Would  I  had  met  my  dearest  foe  in  heaven 
Or  ever  I  had  seen  that  day,  Horatio !  — 
My  father, —  methinks  I  see  my  father. 


{All  start. 


Horatio. 
O,  where,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
In  my  mind's  eye,  Horatio. 

Horatio.  [Meditatively. 

I  saw  him  once ;  he  was  a  goodly  king. 


HAMLET.  20 

Hatnlet. 

He  was  a  man,  take  him  for  all  in  all, 
I  shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again. 

Horatio.  \With  hesitation. 

My  lord,  I  think  I  saw  him  yesternight. 

Hamlet. 
Saw  who  ? 

Horatio. 
My  lord,  the  king  your  father. 

Hamlet. 
The  king  my  father ! 

Horatio. 

Season  your  admiration  for  a  while 
With  an  attent  ear;  till  I  may  deliver 
Upon  the  witness  of  these  gentlemen 
This  marvel  to  you. 

Hamlet. 

For  God's  love,  let  me  hear! 

Horatio. 

Two  nights  together  had  these  gentlemen, 

Marcellus  and  Bernardo,  on  their  watch, 

In  the  dead  vast  and  middle  of  the  night. 

Been  thus  encountered.     A  figure  like  your  father, 

Armed  at  all  points  exactly,  cap-a-pie. 

Appears  before  them,  and  with  solemn  march 

Goes  slow  and  stately  by  them  :  thrice  he  walked 

By  their  oppressed  and  fear-surprised  eyes. 

Within  his  truncheon's  length ;  whilst  they,  distilled 

Almost  to  jelly  with  the  act  of  fear. 

Stand  dumb,  and  speak  not  to  him.     This  to  me 

In  dreadful  secrecy  impart  they  did  ; 

And  I  with  them  the  third  night  kept  the  watch  : 

Where,  as  they  had  delivered,  both  in  time. 

Form  of  the  thing,  each  word  made  true  and  good, 

The  apparition  comes. 


HAMLET.  21 

Havilet. 
But  where  was  this  ? 

Mar. 
My  lord,  ui3on  the  platform  where  we  watched. 

Hatnlet. 
Did  you  not  speak  to  it  ? 

Horatio. 
My  lord,  I  did ; 

But  answer  made  it  none  :  yet  once  methought 
It  lifted  up  its  head,  and  did  address 
Itself  to  motion,  like  as  it  would  speak : 
But,  even  then,  the  morning  cock  crew  loud ; 
And  at  the  sound  it  shrunk  in  haste  away. 
And  vanished  from  our  sight. 

Hamlet. 
'T  is  very  strange. 

Horatio. 

As  I  do  live,  my  honoured  lord,  't  is  true ; 
And  we  did  think  it  writ  down  in  our  duty 
To  let  you  know  of  it. 

Haitilet. 

Indeed,  indeed,  sirs,  but  this  troubles  me. 
Hold  you  the  watch  to-night  ? 


We  do,  my  lord. 

Armed,  say  you  ? 

Armed,  my  lord. 

From  top  to  toe  ? 
3 


Mar..^  Ber 
Hamlet. 
Horatio. 
Hamlet. 


HAMLET,  2  2 

Horatio, 
My  lord,  from  head  to  foot. 

Hamlet. 
Then  saw  you  not  his  face  ? 

Horatio. 
O,  yes,  my  lord;     he  wore  his  beaver  up. 

Hamlet. 

What !  looked  he  frowningly  ? 

Horatio. 
A  countenance  more  in  sorrow  than  in  anger. 

Hamlet. 
Pale  or  red  ? 

Horatio. 
Nay,  very  pale. 

Hamlet. 
And  fixed  his  eyes  upon  you  ? 

Horatio. 
Most  constantly. 

Hamlet. 
I  would  I  had  been  there. 

Horatio. 
It  would  have  much  amazed  you. 

Hamlet. 
Very  like,  very  like.     Stayed  it  long  ? 

Horatio. 
While  one  with  moderate  haste  might  tell  a  hundred. 

Mar.,  Ber. 
Longer,  longer. 


HAMLET.  23 

Horatio. 
Not  when  I  saw  it. 

Hamkt. 
His  beard  was  grizzled, — no? 

Horatio. 
It  was,  as  I  have  seen  it  in  his  Hfe, 
A  sable  silvered. 

Hamlet. 

I  will  watch  to-night; 
Perchance  't  will  walk  again. 

Horatio. 
I  warrant  't  will. 

Hamlet.. 
If  it  assume  my  noble  father's  person, 
I  '11  speak  to  it,  though  hell  itself  should  gape, 
And  bid  me  hold  my  peace.     I  pray  you  all, 
If  you  have  hitherto  concealed  this  sight. 
Let  it  be  tenable  in  your  silence  still ; 
And  whatsoever  else  shall  hap  to-night. 
Give  it  an  understanding,  but  no  tongue  : 
I  will  requite  your  loves.     So,  fare  ye  well : 
Upon  the  platform,  'twixt  eleven  and  twelve, 
I  '11  visit  you. 

Horatio. 
Our  duty  to  your  honour. 

Hamlet. 

Your  loves,  as  mine  to  you  :  farewell. 

[Exeunt  Horatio,  Marcel  I  us,  and  Bernardo  c. 
My  father's  spirit  in  arms !  all  is  not  well ; 
I  doubt  some  foul  play :  would  the  night  were  come ! 
Till  then  sit  still,  my  soul :  foul  deeds  will  rise. 
Though  all  the  earth  o'erwhelm  them,  to  men's  eyes. 

[Exit  Hamlet  l. 


HAMLET.  24 

[Enter  Laertes  and  Ophelia  c. 

Laer. 

My  necessaries  are  embarked  :  farewell : 
And,  sister,  as  the  winds  give  benefit, 
And  convoy  is  assistant,  do  not  sleep, 
But  let  me  hear  firom  you. 

Oph. 
Do  you  doubt  that  ? 

Laer. 
For  Hamlet,  and  the  trifling  of  his  favour. 
Hold  it  a  fashion,  and  a  toy  in  blood ; 
A  violet  in  the  youth  of  primy  nature. 
Forward,  not  permanent,  sweet,  not  lasting. 
The  perfume  and  suppliance  of  a  minute ; 
No  more. 

Oph. 

No  more  but  so  ? 

Laer. 

Think  it  no  more  : 

For  nature,  crescent,  does  not  grow  alone 

In  thews  and  bulk  :  but,  as  this  temple  waxes. 

The  inward  service  of  the  mind  and  soul 

Grows  wide  withal.     Perhaps  he  loves  you  now" ; 

And  now  no  soil  nor  cautel  does  besmirch 

The  virtue  of  his  will :  but  you  must  fear, 

His  greatness  weighed,  his  will  is  not  his  own ; 

For  he  himself  is  subject  to  his  birth  : 

He  may  not,  as  unvalued  persons  do, 

Carve  for  himself;  for  on  his  choice  depends 

The  safety  and  the  health  of  the  whole  state. 

Fear  it,  OpheUa,  fear  it,  my  dear  sister ; 

And  keep  you  in  the  rear  of  your  affection, 

Out  of  the  shot  and  danger  of  desire. 

The  chariest  maid  is  prodigal  enough. 

If  she  unmask  her  beauty  to  the  moon. 


HAMLET.  25 

OpJi. 
I  shall  the  effect  of  this  good  lesson  keep, 
As  watchman  to  my  heart.     But,  good  my  brother, 
Do  not,  as  some  ungracious  pastors  do. 
Show  me  the  steep  and  thorny  way  to  heaven; 
Whilst,  like  a  puffed  and  reckless  libertine. 
Himself  the  primrose  path  of  dalliance  treads, 
And  recks  not  his  own  read. 

Laer. 
O,  fear  me  not. 

I  stay  too  long  : — but  here  my  father  comes. 
A  double  blessing  is  a  double  grace ; 
Occasion  smiles  upon  a  second  leave. 

[Enter  PoloJiiiis  r. 

Pol.  [Laertes  kneels. 

Yet  here,  Laertes  !  aboard,  aboard,  for  shame  ! 
The  w^ind  sits  in  the  shoulder  of  your  sail, 
And  you  are  stayed  for.     There, —  my  blessing  with  you  ! 
[Laying  his  hand  on  Ljiertes*  head. 
And  these  few  precepts  in  thy  memory 
Look  thou  character.     Give  thy  thoughts  no  tongue, 
Nor  any  unproportioned  thought  his  act. 
Be  thou  famihar,  but  by  no  means  vulgar. 
The  friends  thou  hast,  and  their  adoption  tried, 
Grapple  them  to  thy  soul  with  hooks  of  steel ; 
But  do  not  dull  thy  palm  with  entertainment 
Of  each  new-hatched,  unfledged  comrade.     Beware 
Of  entrance  to  a  quarrel ;  but  being  in, 
Bear  't,  that  the  opposer  may  beware  of  thee. 
Give  every  man  thine  ear,  but  few  thy  voice  : 
Take  each  man's  censure,  but  reserve  thy  judgment. 
Costly  thy  habit  as  thy  purse  can  buy, 
But  not  expressed  in  fancy ;  rich,  not  gaudy ; 
For  the  apparel  oft  proclaims  the  man ; 
And  they  in  France  of  the  best  rank  and  station 
Are  most  select  and  generous,  chief  in  that. 
Neither  a  borrower  nor  a  lender  be  : 
For  loan  oft  loses  both  itself  and  friend ; 


HAMLET.  26 

And  borrowing  dulls  the  edge  of  husbandry. 
This  above  all, —  to  thine  own  self  J)e  true ; 
x\nd  it  must  follow,  as  the  night  the  day, 
Thou  canst  not  then  be  false  to  any  man. 
Farewell :  my  blessing  season  this  in  thee  ! 

Laer.  \Rises. 

Most  humbly  do  I  take  my  leave,  my  lord. 
Farewell,  Ophelia ;  and  remember  well 
What  I  have  said  to  you. 

Oph, 
'T  is  in  my  memory  locked. 
And  you  yourself  shall  keep  the  key  of  it. 


Laer. 
Farewell. 

Pol. 
What  is  't,  Ophelia,  he  hath  said  to  you  ? 


\Exit  Laertes. 


Oph. 
So  please  you,  something  touching  the  Lord  Hamlet. 

Pol. 
Marry,  well  bethought : 
'T  is  told  me,  he  hath  very  oft  of  late 
Given  private  time  to  you ;  and  you  yourself 
Have  of  your  audience  been  most  free  and  bounteous 
If  it  be  so  (as  so  't  is  put  on  me, 
And  that  in  way  of  caution),  I  must  tell  you, 
You  do  not  understand  yourself  so  clearly 
As  it  behoves  my  daughter  and  your  honour. 
What  is  between  you  ?  give  me  up  the  truth. 

Oph. 

He  hath,  my  lord,  of  late  made  many  tenders 
Of  his  affection  to  me. 


HAiMLET.  27 

FoL 
Affection  !  pooh  !  you  speak  like  a  green  girl, 
Unsifted  in  such  perilous  circumstance. 
Do  you  believe  his  tenders,  as  you  call  them  ? 

Oph. 
I  do  not  know,  my  lord,  what  I  should  think. 

Pol 
Marry,  I  '11  teach  you ;  think  yourself  a  baby ; 
That  you  have  ta'en  these  tenders  for  true  pay. 
Which  are  not  sterling.     Tender  yourself  more  dearly ; 
Or  you  '11  tender  me  a  fool. 

Oph. 
My  lord,  he  hath  importuned  me  with  love 
In  honourable  fashion. 

Pol. 
Ay,  fashion  you  may  call  it  \   go  to,  go  to. 

Oph. 
And  hath  given  countenance  to  his  speech,  my  lord, 
With  almost  all  the  holy  vows  of  heaven. 

Pol 

Ay,  springes  to  catch  woodcocks.     I  do  know. 

When  the  blood  bums,  how  prodigal  the  soul 

Lends  the  tongue  vows. 

This  is  for  all, — 

I  would  not,  in  plain  terms,  from  this  time  forth, 

Have  you  so  slander  any  moment's  leisure, 

As  to  give  words  or  talk  with  the  Lord  Hamlet. 

Look  to  't,  I  charge  you  :  come  your  ways. 

Oph. 
I  shall  obey,  my  lord. 

[Exeinif  Polo7nus  and  Ophelia  R. 


MAMLET.  28 

^cene  '2Dbiril. — The  Platform.     Dim  Starlight. 

\Ejiter  Hamlet  and  Horatio^  to  Marcellus,  who  is  on  gnard. 

Hamlet. 
The  air  bites  shrewdly  ;  it  is  very  cold. 

Horatio. 
It  is  a  nipping  and  an  eager  air. 

Hamlet. 
What  hour  now  ? 

Horatio. 
I  think  it  lacks  of  twelve. 

Mar. 
No,  it  is  struck. 

Horatio. 

Indeed  ?     I  heard  it  not :  then  it  draws  near  the  season 
Wherein  the  spirit  held  his  wont  to  walk. 

\A  flourish  of  trumpets  :  ordnanee  shot  off^  within. 
What  does  this  mean,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
The  king  doth  wake  to-night,  and  takes  his  rouse, 
And,  as  he  drains  his  draughts  of  Rhenish  down, 
The  kettle-drum  and  trumpet  thus  bray  out 
The  triumph  of  his  pledge. 

Horatio. 
Is  it  a  custom  ? 

Hamlet. 

Ay,  marry,  is  't : 

But  to  my  mind, —  though  I  am  native  here, 

And  to  the  manner  bom, — it  is  a  custom 

More  honoured  in  the  breach  than  the  observance. 


HAMLET. 

Horatio. 


Look,  my  lord,  it  comes 


\E?iter  Ghost  r.  i.e. 


Hamlet. 

Angels  and  ministers  of  grace  defend  us !  — 

Be  thou  a  spirit  of  health  or  goblin  damned, 

Bring  with  thee  airs  from  heaven  or  blasts  from  hell, 

Be  thy  intents  wicked  or  charitable. 

Thou  comest  in  such  a  questionable  shape, 

That  I  will  speak  to  thee :   I  '11  call  thee  Hamlet, 

King,  father,  royal  Dane  :   O,  answer  me  ! 

Let  me  not  burst  in  ignorance ;  but  tell 

Why  thy  canonised  bones,  hearsed  in  death, 

Have  burst  their  cerements;  why  the  sepulchre     ;/ 

Wherein  we  saw  thee  quietly  in-urned. 

Hath  oped  his  ponderous  and  marble  jaws, 

To  cast  thee  up  again !     What  may  this  mean, 

That  thou,  dead  corse,  again,  in  complete  steel, 

Re-visit'st  thus  the  glimpses  of  the  moon, 

Making  night  hideous  ;  and  we  fools  of  nature, 

So  horridly  to  shake  our  disposition. 

With  thoughts  beyond  the  reaches  of  our  souls  ? 

Say,  why  is  this  ?  wherefore  ?  what  should  we  do  ? 

[  T/ie  Ghost  beckons  Hamlet. 

Horatio. 

It  beckons  you  to  go  away  with  it, 
As  if  it  some  impartment  did  desire 
To  you  alone. 

Mar.  [  Ghost  beckons. 

Look,  with  what  courteous  action 

It  waves  you  to  a  more  removed  ground: 

But  do  not  go  with  it. 

Horatio. 
No,  by  no  means. 

Hamlet. 
It  will  not  speak ;  then  will  I  follow  it. 


HAMLET.  30 

Horatio. 
Do  not,  my  lord. 

Harnlei. 

Why,  what  should  be  the  fear  ? 

I  do  not  set  my  hfe  at  a  pin's  fee; 

And  for  my  soul,  what  can  it  do  to  that, 

Being  a  thing  immortal  as  itself  ?  [  Ghost  beckons. 

It  waves  me  forth  again ;  —  I  '11  follow  it. 

Horatio. 

What  if  it  tempt  you  toward  the  flood,  my  lord, 

Or  to  the  dreadful  summit  of  the  cliff 

That  beetles  o'er  his  base  into  the  sea. 

And  there  assume  some  other  horrible  form, 

Which  might  deprive  your  sovereignty  of  reason, 

And  draw  you  into  madness  ?  [  Ghost  beckons. 

Hamlet, 

It  waves  me  still. — 
Go  on  j  I  '11  follow  thee. 

Mar. 

You  shall  not  go,  my  lord, 

[Horatio  and  Marcellus  seize  Hamlet  and  strive  to 
hold  him. 

Hamlet. 
Hold  off  your  hands. 

Horatio. 
Be  ruled;  you  shall  not  go. 

Ha?nlet. 

My  fate  cries  out. 

And  makes  each  petty  artery  in  this  body 

As  hardy  as  the  Nemean  lion's  nerve. 

I  Ghost  beckons. 
Still  am  I  called  :  —  unhand  me,  gentlemen;  — 
By  heaven,  I  '11  make  a  ghost  of  him  that  lets  me  .  — 


HAMLET.  31 

I  say,  away  !  — 

\Breaki?ig  from  the?n. 
Go  on ;  I  '11  follow  thee. 

I  Exeunt  Ghost  and  Haniht.   Horatio  and  Mar- 
cellus  follow  slowly. 


^ccne  jFourt^.  —  Another  part  of  the  Platform. 

[Enter  Ghost  and  Hamlet. 

Hamlet. 

Whither  wilt  thou  lead  me  ?     Speak;  I  '11  go  no  further. 

Ghost. 

Mark  me. 

Hamlet. 

I  will. 

Ghost. 

My  hour  is  almost  come, 

When  I  to  sulphurous  and  tormenting  flames 

Must  render  up  myself. 

Hamlet. 

Alas  1  poor  ghost ! 

Ghost. 

Pity  me  not,  but  lend  thy  serious  hearing 
To  what  I  shall  unfold. 

Hamlet. 
Speak ;  I  am  bound  to  hear. 

Ghost. 
So  art  thou  to  revenge,  when  thou  shalt  hear. 

Hamlet. 
What  ? 


HAMLET. 

Ghost. 

I  am  thy  father's  spirit ; 

Doomed  for  a  certain  term  to  walk  the  night, 

And  for  the  day  confined  to  fast  in  fires, 

Till  the  foul  crimes  done  in  my  days  of  nature 

Are  burnt  and  purged  away.     But  that  I  am  forbid 

To  tell  the  secrets  of  my  prison-house, 

I  could  a  tale  unfold,  whose  lightest  word 

Would  harrow  up  thy  soul ;  freeze  thy  young  blood ; 

Make  thy  two  eyes,  like  stars,  start  from  their  spheres ; 

Thy  knotted  and  combined  locks  to  part, 

And  each  particular  hair  to  stand  on  end. 

Like  quills  upon  the  fretful  porcupine : 

But  this  eternal  blazon  must  not  be 

To  ears  of  flesh  and  blood. —  List,  list,  O,  list !  — 

If  thou  didst  ever  thy  dear  father  love, — 

I^R  Hamlet. 

0  Heaven ! 

Ghost. 

.  Revenge  his  foul  and  most  unnatural  murder. 

i|P  Hamlet. 

Murder ! 

Ghost. 

Murder  most  foul,  as  in  the  best  it  is ; 
But  this  most  foul,  strange,  and  unnatural. 

Hamlet. 

Haste  me  to  know  't,  that  I,  with  wings  as  swift 
As  meditation  or  the  thoughts  of  love, 
May  sweep  to  my  revenge. 

Ghost. 

1  find  thee  apt ; 
Now%  Hamlet,  hear : 

T  is  given  out  that,  sleeping  in  mine  orchard, 

A  serpent  stung  me ;  so  the  whole  ear  of  Denmark 


HAMLET. 

Is  by  a  forged  process  of  my  death 
Rankly  abused :  but  know,  thou  noble  youth, 
The  serpent  that  did  sting  thy  father's  Hfe 
Now  wears  his  crown. 

Hamlet. 

0,  my   prophetic  soul ! 
My  uncle ! 

Ghost. 

Ay,  that  incestuous,  that  adulterate  beast, 

With  witchcraft  of  his  wit,  with  traitorous  gifts, 

Won  to  his  shameful  lust 

The  will  of  my  most  seeming-virtuous  queen  : 

But,  soft!  methinks  I  scent  the  morning  air; 

Brief  let  me  be. —  Sleeping  within  mine  orchard 

My  custom  always  in  the  afternoon, 

Upon  my  secure  hour  thy  uncle  stole. 

With  juice  of  cursed  hebenon,  in  a  vial, 

And  in  the  porches  of  mine  ears  did  pour 

The  leperous  distilment ;  whose  effect 

Holds  such  an  enmity  with  blood  of  man 

That,  swift  as  quicksilver,  it  courses  through 

The  natural  gates  and  alleys  of  the  body. 

Thus  was  I,  sleeping,  by  a  brother's  hand 

Of  life,  of  crown,  of  queen,  at  once  despatched  ; 

Cut  off  even  in  the  blossoms  of  my  sin, 

Unhouseled,  disappointed,  unaneled ; 

No  reckoning  made,  but  sent  to  my  account 

With  all  my  imperfections  on  my  head : 

Ha7?ilet. 
O,  horrible!   O,  horrible!  most  horrible! 

Ghost. 

If  thou  hast  nature  in  thee,  bear  it  not ; 
Let  not  the  royal  bed  of  Denmark  be 
A  couch  for  luxury  and  damned  incest. 
But,  howsoever  thou  pursuest  this  act, 
Taint  not  thy  mind,  nor  let  thy  soul  contrive 


33 


HAMLET. 


34 


Against  thy  mother  aught :  leave  her  to  heaven, 
And  to  those  thorns  that  in  her  bosom  lodge, 
To  prick  and  sting  her.     Fare  thee  well  at  once  : 
The  glow-worm  shows  the  matin  to  be  near, 
And  'gins  to  pale  his  uneffectual  fire : 
Adieu,  adieu !  Hamlet,  remember  me. 

\Exit  Ghost. 

Hamlet. 

O,  all  you  host  of  heaven !   O,  earth !  what  else  ? 
And  shall  I  couple  hell  ?  —  O,  hold,  my  heart ; 
And  you,  my  sinews,  grow  not  instant  old, 
But  bear  me  stiffly  up. —  Remember  thee  ! 
Ay,  thou  poor  ghost,  while  memory  holds  a  seat 
In  this  distracted  globe.     Remember  thee  ! 
Yea,  from  the  table  of  my  memory 
I  '11  wipe  away  all  trivial  fond  records, 
All  saws  of  books,  all  forms,  all  pressures  past. 
That  youth  and  observation  copied  there ; 
And  thy  commandment  all  alone  shall  live 
Within  the  book  and  volume  of  my  brain. 
Unmixed  with  baser  matter :  yes,  by  heaven. — 
I  have  sworn  't. 

Horatio,  [  Withhi. 

My  lord  !  my  lord  !  — 

Mar,  [  Withi?i. 

Lord  Hamlet, — 

Horatio^  [  JJlt/ii?L 

Heaven  secure  him ! 

Hamlet. 
So  be  it ! 

Horatio.  [  Within. 

Illo,  ho,  ho,  my  lord ! 

Hamlet. 
Hillo,  ho,  ho,  boy !  come,  bird,  come. 


HAMLET.  35 

[Enter  Horatio  a7id  Ma?reilus. 
Mar. 
How  is  't,  my  noble  lord  ? 

Horatio. 
What  news,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
O,  wonderful ! 

Ho7'atio. 
Good  my  lord,  tell  it. 

Hamlet. 
No ;   you  '11  reveal  it. 

Ho7'atio. 
Not  I,  my  lord,  by  heaven. 

Mar. 
Nor  I,  my  lord. 

Hainlet. 

How  say  you,  then ;  Avould  heart  of  man  once  think  it  ? — 
But  you  '11  be  secret  ? 

Horatio,  Mar. 

Ay,  by  heaven,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

There  's  ne'er  a  villain  dwelling  in  all  Denmark — ■ 
But  he  's  an  arrant  knave. 

Horatio. 

There  needs  no  ghost,  my  lord,  come  from  the  grave 
To  tell  us  this. 

Hamlet. 
Why,  right ;  you  are  i'  the  right : 
And  so,  without  more  circumstance  at  all, 
I  hold  it  fit  that  we  shake  hands  and  part : 


HAMLET.  36 

You,  as  your  business  and  desire  shall  point  you, — 

For  every  man  has  business  and  desire, 

Such  as  it  is ; — and  for  mine  own  poor  part, 

Look  you,  I  '11  go  pray.  [Retiring, 

Horatio. 
These  are  but  wild  and  whirling  words,  my  lord. 

[  Crosses  to  l. 

Hamlet. 

I  'm  sorry  they  offend  you,  heartily ; 
Yes,  faith,  heartily. 

Horatio. 
There  's  no  offence,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 
Yes,  by  Saint  Patrick,  but  there  is,  my  lord. 
And  much  offence  too.     Touching  this  vision  here, — 

[Marcellus  advances  quickly  r. 
It  is  an  honest  ghost,  that  let  me  tell  you : 
For  your  desire  to  know  what  is  between  us, 
O'ermaster  it  as  you  may.     And  now,  good  friends, 
As  you  are  friends,  scholars,  and  soldiers, 
Give  me  one  poor  request. 

Horatio. 
What  is  't,  my  lord  ?    we  will,. 

Hamlet. 
Never  make  known  what  you  have  seen  to-night. 

Horatio,  Mar. 
My  lord,  we  will  not. 

Hamlet. 
Nay,  but  swear  't. 

Horatio.  [Swearing. 

In  faith. 
My  lord,  not  I. 


HAMLET.  37 

Mar.  [Swearing. 

Nor  I,  my  lord,  in  faith. 

Hamlet. 
Upon  my  sword. 

Mar. 
We  have  sworn,  my  lord,  already. 
Hamlet. 
Indeed,  upon  my  sword,  indeed. 

Ghost.  \BeJieath. 

Swear. 

Hamlet. 
Ah,  ha,  boy  !  say'st  thou  so  ?  art  thou  there,  true-penny  ? 
Come  on : 
Consent  to  swear. 

Horatio. 

Propose  the  oath,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

Never  to  speak  of  this  that  you  have  seen. 
Swear,  by  my  sword. 

Ghost. 

Swear. 

Hamlet. 

Hie  et  ubique  ?  then  we  '11  shift  our  ground. — 
Come  hither,  gentlemen, 
And  lay  your  hands  again  upon  my  sword  : 
Never  to  speak  of  this  that  you  have  seen, 
Swear  by  my  sword. 

Ghost.  [Beneath. 

Swear. 

Horatio. 
O,  day  and  night,  but  this  is  wondrous  strange  ! 
5 


HAMLET.  38 

Haitilet. 

And  therefore  as  a  stranger  give  it  welcome. 

There  are  more  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  Horatio, 

Than  are  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy. 

But  come;  — 

Here,  as  before,  never,  so  help  you  mercy. 

How  strange  or  odd  soe'er  I  bear  myself, — 

As  I,  perchance,  hereafter  shall  think  meet 

To  put  an  antic  disposition  on, — 

That  you,  at  such  times  seeing  me,  never  shall-, 

With  arms  encumbered  thus,  or  this  head-shake, 

Or  by  pronouncing  of  some  doubtful  phrase, 

As,  "Well,  well,  we  know;" — or,    "We  could,  an  if  we 

would  ;  " — 
Or,  "If  we  list  to  speak;" — or,  "There  be,  an  if  they 

might;"— 
Or  such  ambiguous  giving  out,  to  note 
That  you  know  aught  of  me  :  —  this  not  to  do. 
So  grace  and  mercy  at  your  most  need  help  you. 

Ghost.  [Beneath. 

Swear. 

Hamlet. 
Rest,  rest,  perturbed  spirit  1  —  So,  gentlemen, 
With  all  my  love  I  do  commend  me  to  you : 
And  what  so  poor  a  man  as  Hamlet  is 
May  do,  to  express  his  love  and  friending  to  you, 
God  willing,  shall  not  lack.     Let  us  go  in  together  : 
And  still  your  fingers  on  your  lips,  I  pray. 
The  time  is  out  of  joint :  —  O,  cursed  spite,    ^ 
That  ever  I  was  born  to  set  it  right !  — 
Nay,  come,  let 's  go  together. 

[Picture. 

CURTAIN. 


3lct  d&cconti, 

^crne  jFirst  —A  Room  in  the  Palace. 

[Enter  Ophelia  and  Polonius^  meeting. 

Pol 
How  now,  Ophelia !  what 's  the  matter  ? 

Oph. 
Alas  !  my  lord,  I  have  been  so  afiOrighted ! 

Pol. 

With  what,  i'  the  name  of  heaven  ? 

Oph. 

My  lord,  as  I  was  sewing  in  my  chamber, 
Lord  Hamlet, —  with  his  doublet  all  unbraced; 
No  hat  upon  his  head ;  he  comes  before  me. 

Pol 

What  said  he  ? 

Oph. 

He  took  me  by  the  wrist,  and  held  me  hard ; 

Then  goes  he  to  the  length  of  all  his  arm ; 

And,  with  his  other  hand  thus  o'er  his  brow, 

He  falls  to  such  perusal  of  my  face 

As  he  would  draw  it.     Long  stayed  he  so ; 

At  last, —  a  httle  shaking  of  mine  arm, 

And  thrice  his  head  thus  waving  up  and  down, — 

He  raised  a  sigh  so  piteous  and  profound. 

That  it  did  seem  to  shatter  all  his  bulk. 

And  end  his  being  :  that  done,  he  lets  me  go  : 

And,  with  his  head  over  his  shoulder  turned, 

He  seemed  to  find  his  way  without  his  eyes ; 

For  out  of  doors  he  went  without  their  help, 

And  to  the  last,  bended  their  light  on  me. 


HAMLET.  •        40 

Pol. 

Mad  for  thy  love  ? 

Oph. 

My  lord,  I  do  not  know, 
But  I  do  fear  it. 

Pol. 

Come,  go  with  me: 

This  is  the  very  ecstasy  of  love. 

I  am  sorry, — 

What !  have  you  given  him  any  hard  words  of  late  ? 

Oph. 

No,  my  good  lord ;  but,  as  you  did  command, 
I  did  repel  his  letters,  and  denied 
His  access  to  me. 

Pol 

That  hath  made  him  mad.  • 

This  must  be  known ;  which,  being  kept  close,  might  move 
More  grief  to  hide  than  hate  to  utter  love. 

\Exeunt  PoIo7iius  and  Ophelia  L.  i.  e. 

\Enter  King,  Posencrantz,  and  Guildenstern  c. 

King. 

Welcome,  dear  Rosencrantz  and  Guildenstern ! 
Moreover  that  we  much  did  long  to  see  you. 
The  need  we  have  to  use  you  did  provoke 
Our  hasty  sending.     Something  have  you  lieard 
Of  Hamlet's  transformation ;    so  I  call  it, 
Since  nor  the  exterior  nor  the  inward  man 
Resembles  that  it  was.     W^hat  it  should  be, 
More  than  his  father's  death,  that  thus  hath  put  him 
So  much  from  the  understanding  of  himself, 
I  cannot  dream  of:  I  entreat  you  both, 

[Efiter  Queen  and  Atte?idatits  l.  u.  e. 
That  you  vouchsafe  your  rest  here  in  our  court 
Some  little  time :  so  by  your  companies 


HAMLET.  41 

To  draw  him  on  to  pleasures,  and  to  gather, 
So  much  as  from  occasion  you  may  glean, 
Whether  aught,  to  us  unknown,  afflicts  him  thus, 
Tiiat,  opened,  lies  within  our  remedy. 

Qiieen. 
Good  gentlemen,  he  hath  much  talked  of  you ; 
And  sure  I  am  two  men  there  are  not  living 
To  whom  he  more  adheres.     If  it  will  please  you 
To  show  us  so  much  gentry  and  good  will 
As  to  expend  your  time  with  us  awhile, 
For  the  supply  and  profit  of  our  hope. 
Your  visitation  shall  receive  such  thanks 
As  fits  a  king's  remembrance. 

Ros. 

Both  your  majesties 

Might,  by  the  sovereign  power  you  have  of  us. 
Put  your  dread  pleasures  more  into  command 
Than  to  entreaty. 

Giiil. 
But  we  both  obey, 

And  here  give  up  ourselves,  in  the  full  bent. 
To  lay  our  service  freely  at  your  feet. 
To  be  commanded. 

Queen, 

Thanks,  Rosencrantz  and  gentle  Guildenstem. 
We  do  beseech  you  instantly  to  visit 
Our  too  much  changed  son. — Go,  you, 

[  To  the  aiiendanis. 
And  bring  these  gentlemen  where  Hamlet  is. 

\^ExeHut  Rose?icrantz,  Guildenstem,  and  all  the 
attendants. 

[Enter  Polonius  l.  u.  e. 

King. 
Thou  still  hast  been  the  father  of  good  news. 


HAMLET.  42 

Pol. 

Have  I,  my  lord  ?     Assure  you,  my  good  liege, 

I  hold  my  duty,  as  I  hold  my  soul. 

Both  to  my  God,  and  to  my  gracious  king  ; 

And  I  do  think  (or  else  this  brain  of  mine 

Hunts  not  the  trail  of  policy  so  sure 

As  it  hath  used  to  do)  that  I  have  found 

The  very  cause  of  Hamlet's  lunacy. 

Kino;. 
O,  speak  of  that;  that  do  I  long  to  hear. 

Pol. 

My  liege,  and  madam, —  to  expostulate 

What  majesty  should  be,  what  duty  is, 

Why  day  is  day,  night  night,  and  time  is  time, 

Were  nothing  but  to  waste  night,  day.  and  time. 

Therefore,  since  brevity  is  the  soul  of  wit, 

And  tediousness  the  limbs  and  outward  flourishes, 

I  will  be  brief: — your  noble  son  is  mad: 

Mad  call  I  it;  for,  to  define  true  madness, 

What  is  't,  but  to  be  nothing  else  but  mad  ? 

But  let  that  go. 

Queen. 

More  matter,  with  less  art. 

Pol. 

Madam,  I  swear  I  use  no  art  at  all. 

That  he  is  mad,  't  is  true :  't  is  true  't  is  pity; 

And  pity  't  is  't  is  true :  a  foolish  figure ; 

But  farewell  it,  for  I  will  use  no  art. 

Mad  let  us  grant  him,  then:  and  now  remains 

That  we  find  out  the  cause  of  this  effect, — 

Or  rather  say,  the  cause  of  this  defect, 

For  this  effect  defective  comes  by  cause : 

Thus  it  remains,  and  the  remainder  thus. 

Perpend. 

I  have  a  daughter, —  have,  while  she  is  mine, — 


HAMLET.  43 

Who,  in  her  duty  and  obedience,  mark, 

Hath  given  me  this  :  now  gather,  and  surmise. 

[Reads. 

To  the  celestial,  and  my  soul's  idol,  the  most  beautified  Ophelia — 

That's  an  ill  phrase,  a  vile  phrase, —  ''beautified"  is  a  vile 
'  phrase  ;  but  you  shall  hear.     Thus  : 

[Reads. 
In  her  excellent  white  bosom,  these,  &c. 

Qtteefi. 
Came  this  firom  Hamlet  to  her  ? 

Pol. 
Good  madam,  stay  awhile ;   I  will  be  faithful. 

[Reads. 

Doubt  thou  the  stars  are  fire  ; 

Doubt  that  the  sun  doth  move  ; 
Doubt  truth  to  be  a  liar ; 

But  never  doubt  I  love. 

O,  dear  Ophelia,  I  am  ill  at  these  numbers  ;  I  have  not  art  to  reckon 
my  groans  :  but  that  I  love  thee  best,  O,  most  best,  beheve  it.     Adieu. 
Thine  evermore,  most  dear  lady,  whilst  this  machine  is  to  him, 

Hamlet. 

This,  in  obedience,  hath  my  daughter  shown  me  : 
And  more  above,  hath  his  solicitings, 
As  they  fell  out  by  time,  by  means,  and  place. 
All  given  to  mine  ear. 

But  how  hath  she 
Received  his  love  ? 

Pol. 
What  do  you  think  of  me  ? 

Kb^ig. 
As  of  a  man  faithful  and  honourable. 


44 


HAMLET 

Pol. 

I  would  fain  prove  so.     But  what  might  you  think, 

When  I  had  seen  this  hot  love  on  the  wing 

(As  I  perceived  it,  I  must  tell  you  that. 

Before  my  daughter  told  me), —  what  might  you, 

Or  my  dear  majesty  >^ur  queen  here,  think. 

If  I  had  played  the  desk  or  table-book ; 

Or  given  my  heart  a  winking,  mute  and  dumb ; 

Or  looked  upon  this  love  with  idle  sight;  — 

What  might  you  think  ?     No,  I  went  round  to  work, 

And  my  young  mistress  thus  I  did  bespeak : 

"  Lord  Hamlet  is  a  prince,  out  of  thy  star ; 

This  must  not  be ;  "  and  then  I  precepts  gave  her, 

That  she  should  lock  herself  from  his  resort. 

Admit  no  messengers,  receive  no  tokens. 

Which  done,  she  took  the  fruits  of  my  advice ; 

And  he,  repulsed  (a  short  tale  to  make). 

Fell  into  a  sadness;    then  into  a  fast ; 

Thence  to  a  watch  ;    thence  into  a  weakness ; 

Thence  to  a  lightness ;  and,  by  this  declension 

Into  the  madness  wherein  now  he  raves, 

And  all  we  wail  for. 

King. 
Do  you  think  't  is  this  ? 

Qiieen. 
It  may  be  —  very  likely. 

Pol. 

Hath  there  been  such  a  time  (I  'd  fain  know  that), 
That  I  have  positively  said,  "  'T  is  so," 
When  it  proved  otherwise  ? 

King. 

Not  that  I  know. 

Pol 

Take  this  from  this,  if  this  be  otherwise  : 

\Poifiting  to  his  head  and  should^'. 


HAMLET.  45 

If  circumstances  lead  me,  I  will  find 

Where  truth  is  hid,  though  it  were  hid  indeed 

Within  the  centre. 

King. 
How  may  we  try  it  further  ? 

Pol. 

You  know,  sometimes  he  walks  for  hours  together 
Here  in  the  lobby. 

Queen.  ^Q^es  up  c. 

So  he  does,  indeed. 

Pol. 
At  such  a  time  I  '11  loose  my  daughter  to  him  : 
Be  you  and  I  behmd  an  arras  then ; 
Mark  the  encounter  :    if  he  love  her  not, 
And  be  not  from  his  reason  fallen  thereon, 
Let  me  be  no  assistant  for  a  state. 
But  keep  a  farm  and  carters. 

King. 
We  will  try  it. 

Qjieen. 
But,  look,  where  sadly  the  poor  wretch  comes,  reading. 

PoL 
Away,  I  do  beseech  you,  both  away: 
I  '11  board  him  presently. 

\Exeunt  King  and  Queen. 

[Enter  Hamlet,  c,  readi?ig. 
How  does  my  good  Lord  Hamlet? 

Hamlet. 

Well,  God-a-mercy. 

Pol 

Do  you  know  me,  my  lord  ? 
6 


HAMLET.  46 

Hamlet. 
Excellent  well ;    you  are  a  fishmonger. 

Pol, 
Not  I,  my  lord. 

Hatfilet. 
Then  I  would  you  were  so  honest  a  man. 

Pol 

Honest,  my  lord ! 

Hamlet. 

Ay,  sir ;  to  be  honest,  as  this  world  goes,  is  to  be  one  man 
picked  out  of  ten  thousand. 

Pol. 
That  's  very  true,  my  lord. 

Ha?nlet. 

For  if  the  sun  breed  maggots  in  a  dead  dog,  being  a  god 
kissing  carrion,  — Have  you  a  daughter  ? 

Pol. 
I  have,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 
Let  her  not  walk  i'  the  sun  :    conception  is  a  blessing ; 
but  not   as  your  daughter  may  conceive:  —  friend,  look 
to  't. 

Pol.  [Aside. 

Still  harping  on  my  daughter  :  — yet  he  knew  me  not  at 
first ;  he  said  I  was  a  fishmonger  :  he  is  far  gone,  far 
gone  :  and  truly  in  my  youth  I  suffered  much  extremity 
for  love;  very  near  this.  I  '11  speak  to  him  again. — What 
do  you  read,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
Words,  words,  words. 


HAMLET.  47 

Pol. 

What  is  the  matter,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
Between  who  ? 

Pol 
I  mean,  the  matter  that  you  read,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

Slanders,  sir :  for  the  satirical  rogue  says  here,  that  old 
men  have  grey  beards ;  that  their  faces  are  wrinkled ; 
their  eyes  purging  thick  amber  and  plum-tree  gum  ;  and 
that  they  have  a  plentiful  lack  of  wit,  together  with  most 
weak  hams  :  all  which,  sir,  though  I  most  powerfully  and 
potently  believe,  yet  I  hold  it  not  honesty  to  have  it  thus 
set  down ;  for  you  yourself,  sir,  should  be  old  as  I  am,  if, 
like  a  crab,  you  could  go  backward. 

Pol.  [Aside. 

Though  this  be  madness,  yet  there  is  method  in  't. — 
Will  you  walk  out  of  the  air,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
Into  my  grave  ? 

Pol. 

Indeed,  that  is  out  o'  the  air. —  [Aside.]  How  pregnant 
sometimes  his  replies  are !  a  happiness  that  often  madness 
hits  on,  which  reason  and  sanity  could  not  so  prosperously 
be  delivered  of  I  will  leave  him,  and  suddenly  contrive 
the  means  of  meeting  between  him  and  my  daughter. — 
My  honourable  lord,  I  will  most  humbly  take  my  leave 
of  you. 

Hamlet. 
You  cannot,  sir,  take  from  me  anything  that  I  will  more 
willingly    part   withal, —  except    my    life,   except  my   life, 
except  my  life. 


K 


HAMLET.  48 

PoL 

Fare  you  well,  my  lord. 

{Exit  Polonius  l. 
Ha7nlet. 

These  tedious  old  fools ! 

\^As  Polojiius  retires,  he  meets,  outside,  Rosencrantz 
and  Guildetister7i. 

PoL 
You  go  to  seek  the  Lord  Hamlet ;  there  he  is.  ^ 

Ros.  {To  Pol.  j>  Within. 

God  save  you,  sir  !  ^ 

{Enter  Rosencra?itz  a?id  Guildenster?i  l. 

Guil. 

Mine  honoured  lord  ! 

Ros. 
My  most  dear  lord  ! 

Hamlet. 

My  excellent  good  friends  !  How  dost  thou,  Guilden- 
stern  ?  Ah,  Rosencrantz  !  Good  lads,  how  do  ye  both  ? 
What  news  ? 

Ros. 

None,  my  lord,  but  that  the  world 's  grown  honest. 
Hamlet. 

Then  is  doomsday  near :  but  your  news  is  not  true. 
In  the  beaten  way  of  friendship,  what  make  you  at 
Elsinore  ? 

Ros. 

To  visit  you,  my  lord;  no  other  occasion. 
Ha?nlet. 

Beggar  that  I  am,  I  am  even  poor  in  thanks;  but  I 
thank  you.  Were  you  not  sent  for?  Is  it  your  own 
inclining  ?  Is  it  a  free  visitation  ?  Come,  deal  justly 
with  me  :  come,  come  ;  nay,  speak. 


HAMLET.  49 

Guil. 
What  should  we  say,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 

Why,  anything — but  to  the  purpose.  You  were  sent 
for:  and  there  is  a  kind  of  confession  in  your  looks,  which 
your  modesties  have  not  craft  enough  to  colour :  I  know 
the  good  king  and  queen  have  sent  for  you. 

Ros. 

To  what  end,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 

That  you  must  teach  me.  But  let  me  conjure  you,  by  the 
rights  of  our  fellowship,  by  the  consonancy  of  our  youth, 
by  the  obligation  of  our  ever-preserved  love,  and  by  what 
more  dear  a  better  proposer  could  charge  you  withal,  be 
even  and  direct  with  me,  whether  you  were  sent  for,  or  no  ? 

Ros.         [Aside  to  Guildenstern. 
.  What  say  you  ? 

Hamlet.  [Aside. 

Nay,  then,  I  have  an  eye  of  you. — If  you  love  me,  hold 
not  off. 

Guil. 
My  lord,  we  were  sent  for. 

Hamlet. 

I  will  tell  you  why;  so  shall  my  anticipation  prevent 
your  discovery,  and  your  secrecy  to  the  king  and  queen 
moult  no  feather.  I  have  of  late  (but  wherefore  I  know 
not)  lost  all  my  mirth,  forgone  all  custom  of  exercises; 
and,  indeed,  it  goes  so  heavily  with  my  disposition,  that 
this  goodly  frame,  the  earth,  seems  to  me  a  sterile  prom- 
ontory; this  most  excellent  canopy,  the  air,  look  you, 
this  brave  o'erhanging  firmament,  this  majestical  roof 
fretted  with  golden  fire, —  why,  it  appears  no  other  thing 
to  me  than  a  foul  and  pestilent  congregation  of  vapours. 
What  a  piece  of  work  is  a  man  !  how  noble  in  reason  !  how 


HAMLET. 


50 


infinite  in  faculty !  in  form  and  moving  how  express  and 
admirable !  in  action  how  like  an  angel !  in  apprehension 
how  like  a  god !  the  beauty  of  the  world  !  the  paragon  of 
animals !  And  yet,  to  me,  what  is  this  quintessence  of 
dust?  man  delights  not  me;  no,  nor  woman  neither, 
though  by  your  smiling  you  seem  to  say  so. 

Ros. 
My  lord,  there  was  no  such  stuff  in  my  thoughts. 

Hamlet. 

Why  did  you  laugh,  then,  when  I  said,  man  delights 
not  me  ? 

Ros. 

To  think,  my  lord,  if  you  delight  not  in  man,  wliat 
lenten  entertainment  the  players  shall  receive  from  you : 
we  coted  them  on  the  way;  and  hither  are  they  coming, 
to  offer  you  service. 

Hamlet. 

He  that  plays  the  king  shall  be  welcome :  his  majesty 
shall  have  tribute  of  me. —What  players  are  they  ? 

Ros. 

Even  those  you  were  wont  to  take  delight  in,  the  trage- 
dians of  the  city. 

Hamlet. 

How  chances  it  they  travel  ?  their  residence,  both  in 
reputation  and  profit,  was  better  both  ways.  Do  they 
hold  the  same  estimation  they  did  when  I  was  in  the  city  ? 
are  they  so  followed  ? 

Ros. 
No,  indeed,  they  are  not. 

Hamlet. 
It  is  not  strange;  for  my  uncle  is  king  of  Denmark, 
and  those  that  would  make  mows  at  him  while  my  father 
lived,  give  twenty,  forty,  fifty,  a  hundred  ducats  apiece  for 
his  picture  in  little.  There  is  something  in  this  more  than 
natural,  if  philosophy  could  find  it  out. 

'  [  Trumpet  within. 


There  are  the  players. 


HAMLET.  51 

Gui/. 


Hamlet. 
Gentlemen  \To  Rosejicrantz  and  Guildensierii\  you  are 
welcome  to   Elsinore.     Your  hands.    You  are  welcome; 
but  my  uncle-father  and  aunt-mother  are  deceived. 

Guil. 

In  what,  my  dear  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 

I  am  but  mad  north-north-west;  when  the  wind  is 
southerly  I  know  a  hawk  from  a  handsaw. 

Pol.  [  Within. 

Well  be  with  you,  gentlemen  ! 

Hamlet. 
Hark  you,  Guildenstern,  that  great  baby  you  see  there 
is  not  yet  out  of  his  swathing-clouts. 

Ros. 

Haply  he  is  the  second  time  come  to  them ;  for  they 
say  an  old  man  is  twice  a  child. 

Hamlet. 

I  will  prophesy  he  comes  to  tell  me  of  the  players; 
mark  it. — You  say  right,  sir;  o'  Monday  morning; 
't  was  so,  indeed.  \E71ter  Folo?iius  l. 

Pol. 

My  lord,  I  have  news  to  tell  you. 

Hamlet. 

My  lord,  I  have  news  to  tell  you.  When  Roscius  was 
an  actor  in  Rome, — 

Pol. 

The  actors  are  come  hither,  my  lord. 


HAMLET.  52 

Hamlet. 
Buz,  buz ! 

PoL 
Upon  mine  honour, — 

Haftilet. 
Then  came  each  actor  on  his  ass, — 

PoL 

The  best  actors  in  the  world,  either  for  tragedy,  com- 
edy, history,  pastoral,  pastoral-comical,  historical-pastoral, 
tragical-historical,  tragical-comical-historical-pastoral,  scene 
individable,  or  poem  unlimited :  Seneca  cannot  be  too 
heavy,  nor  Plautus  too  light.  For  the  law  of  writ  and  the 
liberty,  these  are  the  only  men. 

Hamlet. 

O  Jephthah,  judge  of  Israel,  what  a  treasure  hadst 
thou! 

Pol. 
What  a  treasure  had  he,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 
Why, 

One  fair  daughter,  and  no  more, 
The  which  he  loved  passing  well. 

Pol.  [Aside. 

Still  on  my  daughter. 

Hamlet. 
Am  I  not  in  the  right,  old  Jephthah  ? 

Pol. 

If  you  call  me  Jephthah,  my  lord,  I  have  a  daughter 
that  I  love  passing  well. 

Hamlet. 
Nay,  that  follows  not. 


HAMLET.  53 

Pol. 

What  follows,  then,  my  lord  ? 

IIa7?ilet. 

Why 

As  by  lot,  God  wot, 

and  then  you  know, 

It  came  to  pass,  as  most  like  it  was, — 

the  first  row  of  the  pious  chanson  will  show  you  more; 
for  look,  my  abridgment  comes. 

\E71fer  several  Flayers  L. 
You  are  welcome,  masters;  welcome  all.  Old  friend! 
Thy  face  is  valanced  since  I  saw  thee  last ;  comest  thou 
to  beard  me  in  Denmark  ?  Masters,  you  are  all  welcome. 
We  '11  e'en  to  't  like  French  falconers,  fly  at  anything  we 
see :  we'll  have  a  speech  straight :  come,  give  us  a  taste  of 
your  quality  ;  come,  a  passionate  speech. 

First  Flay.  ^'' 

What  speech,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet 

I  heard  thee  speak  me  a  speech  once, —  but  it  was  never 
acted ;  or,  if  it  was,  not  above  once ;  for  the  play,  I 
remember,  pleased  not  the  million ;  't  was  caviare  to  the 
general  •  but  it  was  an  excellent  play,  well  digested  in  the 
scenes,  set  down  with  as  much  modesty  as  cunning.  One 
speech  in  it  I  chiefly  loved  :  't  was  Eneas'  tale  to  Dido ; 
and  thereabout  of  it,  especially,  where  he  speaks  of  Priam's 
slaughter ;  if  it  live  in  your  memory,  begin  at  this  line ;  — 
let  me  see,  let  me  see  :  — 

The  rugged  Pyrrhus,  like  the  Hyrcanian  beast, 

— 't  is  not  so  :  — it  begins  with  Pyrrhu.; :  — 

The  rugged  Pyrrhus, —  he,  whose  sable  arms 
Black  as  his  purpose,  did  the  night  resemble  ; 
Old  grandsire  Priam  seeks. — 


HAMLET. 


54 


Pol 

'Fore  heaven,  my  lord,  well  spoken,  with  good  accent 
and  good  discretion. 

Hamlet, 
So  proceed  you. 

First  Play. 

Anon  he  finds  him 
Striking  too  short  at  Greeks ;  his  antique  sword, 
Rebellious  to  his  arm,  lies  where  it  falls, 
Repugnant  to  command  ;  unequal  matched, 
Pyrrhus  at  Priam  drives :  in  rage  strikes  wide  ; 
But  with  the  whiff  and  wind  of  his  fell  sword 
The  unnerved  father  falls.     Then  senseless  Ilium, 
Seeming  to  feel  this  blow,  with  flaming  top 
Stoops  to  his  base ;  and  with  a  hideous  crash 
Takes  prisoner  Pyrrhus'  ear  ;  for,  lo  !  his  sword, 
Which  was  declining  on  the  milky  head 
Of  reverend  Priam,  seemed  i'  the  air  to  stick  : 
So,  as  a  painted  tyrant,  Pyrrhus  stood  : 
And,  like  a  neutral  to  his  will  and  matter. 
Did  nothing. 

But,  as  we  often  see,  against  some  storm, 
A  silence  in  the  heavens,  the  rack  stand  still. 
The  bold  winds  speechless,  and  the  orb  below 
As  hush  as  death  ;  anon  the  dreadful  thunder 
Doth  rend  the  region  ;   so,  after  Pyrrhus'  pause. 
Aroused  vengeance  sets  him  new  a-work  ; 
And  never  did  the  Cyclops'  hammers  fall 
j  On  Mars's  armour,  forged  for  proof  eterne, 

!  With  less  remorse  than  Pyrrhus'  bleeding  sword 

Now  falls  on  Priam. — 

Out,  out,  thou  strumpet,  Fortune  !     All  you  gods. 
In  general  synod,  take  away  her  power; 
Break  all  the  spokes  and  fellies  from  her  wheel 
And  bowl  the  round  nave  dowTi  the  hill  of  heaven. 
As  low  as  to  the  fiends  ! 

Pol 

This  is  too  long. 

Hamlet. 
It  shall  to  the  barber's,  with  your  beard. — Pr'ythee,  say 
on  :  —  come  to  Hecuba. 


HAMLET.  55 

First  Play. 

But  who,  O,  who  had  seen  the  mobled  queen  — 

Hamlet. 

[  With  mometitary  sad pre-occiipaticm  :  his  thought  is 
of  his  mother. 
"  The  mobled  queen." 

Pol. 
That 's  good ;  "  mobled  queen  "  is  good. 

First  Play. 

Run  barefoot  up  and  down,  threatening  the  flames 

With  bisson  rheum  ;  a  clout  upon  that  head 

Where  late  the  diadem  stood ;  and  for  a  robe, 

About  her  lank  and  all  o'er-teemed  loins, 

A  blanket,  in  the  alarm  of  fear  caught  up  ;  — 

W^ho  this  had  seen,  with  tongue  in  venom  steeped, 

'Gainst  Fortune's  state  would  treason  have  pronounced  : 

But  if  the  gods  themselves  did  see  her  then 

When  she  saw  Pyrrhus  make  malicious  sport 

In  mincing  with  his  sword  her  husband's  limbs, 

The  instant  burst  of  clamour  that  she  made- 

(Unless  things  mortal  move  them  not  at  all), 

Would  have  made  milch  the  burning  eyes  of  heaven. 

And  passion  in  the  gods. 

Pol 

Look,  whether  he  has  not  turned  his  colour,  and  has 
tears  in's  eyes. —  Pray  you,  no  more. 

Hai7ilet. 

'T  is  well ;  I  '11  have  thee  speak  out  the  rest  soon. —  Good 
my  lord,  will  you  see  the  players  well  bestowed  ?  Do  you 
hear,  let  them  be  well  used ;  for  they  are  the  abstracts  and 
brief  chronicles  of  the  time ;  after  your  death  you  were 
better  have  a  bad  epitaph  than  their  ill  report  while  you 
live. 

Pol. 

My  lord,  I  will  use  them  according  to  their  desert. 


HAMLET.  56 

Haudet. 

Much  better,  sir  ;  use  every  man  after  his  desert,  and  who 
should  'scape  whipping  ?  Use  them  after  your  own 
honour  and  dignity  :  the  less  they  deserve,  the  more  merit 
is  in  your  bounty.     Take  them  in. 

Fol. 

Come,  sirs. 

Hamlet. 

Follow  him,  friends :  we  '11  hear  a  play  to-morrow. 

\jExit  Ihlojiius,  with  all  the  players  except  the  first,  L. 

Old  friend. 

\The  First  Player  pauses  in  the  act  of  retiring.     Ham- 
let then  addresses  Rosencrantz  and  Guildenstern. 

My  good  friends,  I  '11  leave  you  till  night.  You  are  wel- 
come to  Elsinore. 

\Exeimt  Rosencrantz  and  Guildenstern.     Hajnlet 
then  speaks  again  to  the  player. 
Can  you  play  the  murder  of  Gonzago  ? 

Fi?'st  Flay. 
Ay,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 
We  '11  have  it  to-morrow  night.     You  could,  for  a  need, 
study  a  speech  of  some  dozen  or  sixteen  lines,  which  I 
would  set  down  and  insert  in  't,  could  you  not  ? 

Fi7'st  Flay. 

Ay,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

Very  well. —  Follow  that  lord ;  and  look  you  mock  him 
not. 

[Exit  First  Flayer  l. 

Now  I  am  alone. 
O,  what  a  rogue  and  peasant  slave  am  I ! 
Is  it  not  monstrous,  that  this  player  here. 


HAMLET.  57 

But  in  a  fiction,  in  a  dream  of  passion, 

Could  force  his  soul  so  to  his  own  conceit. 

That,  from  her  working,  all  his  visage  wanned ; 

Tears  in  his  eyes,  distraction  in  's  aspect, 

A  broken  voice,  and  his  whole  function  suiting 

With  forms  to  his  conceit  ?  and  all  for  nothing ! 

For  Hecuba  ! 

What  's  Hecuba  to  him,  or  he  to  Hecuba, 

That  he  should  weep  for  her  ?     What  would  he  do. 

Had  he  the  motive  and  the  cue  for  passion 

That  I  have  ?     He  would  drown  the  stage  with  tears, 

And  cleave  the  general  ear  with  horrid  speech ; 

Make  mad  the  guilty,  and  appal  the  free, 

Confound  the  ignorant;  and  amaze,  indeed, 

The  very  faculties  of  eyes  znd  ears. 

Yet  I, 

A  dull  and  muddy-mettled  rascal,  peak, 

Like  John-a-dreams,  unpregnant  of  my  cause, 

And  can  say  nothing ;  no,  not  for  a  king, 

Upon  whose  property  and  most  dear  life 

A  damned  defeat  was  made.     Am  I  a  coward  ? 

Who  calls  me  villain  ? 

Gives  me  the  lie  i'  the  throat, 

As  deep  as  to  the  lungs  ?  who  does  me  this  ? 

Why,  I  should  take  it :  for  it  cannot  be 

But  I  am  pigeon-livered,  and  lack  gall 

To  make  oppression  bitter ;  or,  ere  this, 

I  should  have  fatted  all  the  region  kites 

With  this  slave's  offal :  —  bloody,  bawdy  villain  I 

Remorseless,  treacherous,  lecherous,  kindless  villain ! 

Why,  what  an  ass  am  I !     This  is  most  brave, 

That  I,  the  son  of  a  dear  father  murdered, 

Prompted  to  my  revenge  by  heaven  and  hell, 

Must,  like  a  bawd,  unpack  my  heart  with  words. 

And  fall  a-cursing,  like  a  very  drab, 

A  scullion ! 

Fie  upon  it !  foh  !  —  About,  my  brain  !     I  have  heard 

That  guilty  creatures,  sitting  at  a  play, 

Have  by  the  very  cunning  of  the  scene 

Been  struck  so  to  the  soul,  that  presently 


HAMLET.  58 

They  have  proclaimed  their  malefactions; 

For  murder,  though  it  have  no  tongue,  will  speak 

With  most  miraculous  organ.     I  '11  have  these  players 

Play  something  like  the  murder  of  my  father 

Before  mine  uncle :  I  '11  observe  his  looks ; 

I  '11  tent  him  to  the  quick  :  if  he  but  blench, 

I  know  my  course.     The  spirit  that  I  have  seen 

Maybe  the  devil:  and  the  devil  hath  power 

To  assume  a  pleasing  shape ;  yea,  and  perhaps 

Out  of  my  w^eakness  and  my  melancholy. 

As  he  is  very  potent  with  such  spirits, 

Abuses  me  to  damn  me :  I  '11  have  grounds 

More  relative  than  this  : — the  play  's  the  thing 

Wherein  I  '11  catch  the  conscience  of  the  king. 

[£xlf  Hamlet  l. 

CURTAIN. 


%tt  OTfjirb. 


^ccne  JFirfit. 


r  The  same  as  in  Act  Second.  The  King 
AND  Queen  seated  at  table  c,  and 
PoLONius,  Ophelia,  Rosencrantz,  and 
Guildenstern,    standing    near,    are 

(^     discovered. 


King. 

And  can  you,  by  no  drift  of  circumstance. 
Get  from  him  why  he  puts  on  this  confusion, 
Grating  so  harshly  all  his  days  of  quiet 
With  turbulent  and  dangerous  lunacy  ? 

He  does  confess  he  feels  himself  distracted; 
But  from  what  cause  he  will  by  no  means  speak. 

Gui/. 

Nor  do  we  find  him  forward  to  be  sounded ; 
But,  with  a  crafty  madness,  keeps  aloof, 
When  we  would  bring  him  on  to  some  confession 
Of  his  true  state. 

Quee/i. 
Did  you  assay  him 
To  any  pastime  ? 

Madam,  it  so  fell  out,  that  certain  players 

We  o'er-raught  on  the  way  :  of  these  we  told  him  ; 

And  there  did  seem  in  him  a  kind  of  joy 

To  hear  of  it :  they  are  about  the  court ; 

And,  as  I  think,  they  have  already  order 

This  night  to  play  before  him. 


%ct  €l)irb. 


1 


The  same  as  in  Act  Second.     The  King 

AND  Queen  seated  at  table  c,  and 

^ccne  jFir6t.<J      Polonius,  Ophelia,  Rosencrantz,  and 

Guildenstern,    standing    near,    are 

discovered. 

Xing: 

And  can  you,  by  no  drift  of  circumstance. 
Get  from  him  why  he  puts  on  this  confusion, 
Grating  so  harshly  all  his  days  of  quiet 
With  turbulent  and  dangerous  lunacy  ? 

He  does  confess  he  feels  himself  distracted; 
But  from  what  cause  he  will  by  no  means  speak. 

Gui/. 

Nor  do  we  find  him  forward  to  be  sounded ; 
But,  with  a  crafty  madness,  keeps  aloof, 
When  we  would  bring  him  on  to  some  confession 
Of  his  true  state. 

Quee/i. 
Did  you  assay  him 
To  any  pastime  ? 

Madam,  it  so  fell  out,  that  certain  players 

We  o'er-raught  on  the  way  :  of  these  we  told  him  ; 

And  there  did  seem  in  him  a  kind  of  joy 

To  hear  of  it :  they  are  about  the  court ; 

And,  as  I  think,  they  have  already  order 

This  night  to  play  before  him. 


HAMLET.  ^ 

OI 

FoL 

'T  is  most  true  : 

And  he  beseeched  me  to  entreat  your  majesties 

To  hear  and  see  the  matter. 

King. 

With  all  my  heart ;  and  it  doth  much  content  me 
To  hear  him  so  inclined. — 
Good  gentlemen,  give  him  a  further  edge, 
And  drive  his  purpose  on  to  these  delights. 

Ros. 
We  shall,  my  lord. 

\Exeunt  Roseiicrantz  and  Guildetistern  R. 

King. 

Sweet  Gertrude,  leave  us  too ; 

For  we  have  closely  sent  for  Hamlet  hither, 

That  he,  as  't  were  by  accident,  may  here 

Affront  Ophelia : 

Her  father  and  myself, —  lawful  espials, — 

Will  so  bestow  ourselves,  that,  seeing,  unseen, 

W^e  may  of  their  encounter  frankly  judge; 

And  gather  by  him,  as  he  is  behaved. 

If  't  be  the  affliction  of  his  love  or  no 

That  thus  he  suffers  for. 

\King  retires. 

Queen. 
I  shall  obey  you :  — 
And  for  your  part,  Ophelia,  I  do  wish 
That  your  good  beauties  be  the  happy  cause 
Of  Hamlet's  wildness :  so  shall  I  hope  your  virtues 
Will  bring  him  to  his  wonted  way  again, 
To  both  your  honours. 

Oph. 
Madam,  I  wish  it  may. 

\Exit  Queen  l. 


HAMLET.  6 1 

PoL 

Ophelia,  walk  you  here. — 

Gracious   so  please  you,         >  ^^  ^j^^ 

We  will  bestow  ourselves. —  j  ^ 

Read  on  this  book  ;       [  To  Ophelia. — He  gives  her  a  missal. 

That  show  of  such  an  exercise  may  colour 

Your  loneliness. —  We  are  oft  to  blame  in  this, — 

'T  is  too  much  proved, —  that,  with  devotion's  visage 

And  pious  action,  we  do  sugar  o'er 

The  devil  himself. 

Ki7ig.  [Asii/e. 

O,  'tis  too  true! 

How  smart  a  lash  that  speech  doth  give  my  conscience ! 
The  harlot's  cheek,  beautied  with  plastering  art, 
Is  not  more  ugly  to  the  thing  that  helps  it, 
Than  is  my  deed  to  my  most  painted  word : 
O,  heavy  burden! 

Pol. 

I  hear  him  coming  :  let's  withdraw,  my  lord. 

\Exe21nt  Ki?ig  and  Folotiins  c,   and  Ophelia, 
slowly,  R. 

\E?iter  Ha^nlet. 
Hamlet. 
To  be,  or  not  to  be, —  that  is  the  question  :  — 
Whether  't  is  nobler  in  the  mind  to  suffer 
The  slings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune, 
Or  to  take  arms  against  a  sea  of  troubles. 
And  by  opposing  end  them  ? — to  die, —  to  sleep, — 
No  more ;   and  by  a  sleep  to  say  we  end 
The  heart-ache,  and  the  thousand  natural  shocks 
That  flesh  is  heir  to  — 't  is  a  consummation 
Devoudy  to  be  wished.     To  die, —  to  sleep. — 
To  sleep  !  perchance  to  dream  :  —  ay,  there  's  the  rub, 
For  in  that  sleep  of  death  what  dreams  may  come, 
When  we  have  shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil. 
Must  give  us  pause  :  there  's  the  respect 
That  makes  calamity  of  so  long  life ; 
For  who  would  bear  the  whips  and  scorns  of  time, 
8 


HAMLET.  62 

The  oppressor's  wrong,  the  proud  man's  contumely, 

The  pangs  of  despised  love,  the  law's  delay, 

The  insolence  of  office,  and  the  spurns 

That  patient  merit  of  the  unworthy  takes. 

When  he  himself  might  his  quietus  make 

With  a  bare  bodkin  ?   who  would  fardels  bear. 

To  grunt  and  sweat  under  a  weary  life, 

But  that  the  dread  of  something  after  death, — 

The  undiscovered  country,  from  whose  bourn 

No  traveller  returns, —  puzzles  the  will. 

And  makes  us  rather  bear  those  ills  we  have 

Than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of? 

Thus  conscience  does  make  cowards  of  us  all ; 

And  thus  the  native  hue  of  resolution 

Is  sickhed  o'er  with  the  pale  cast  of  thought ; 

And  enterprises  of  great  pith  and  moment. 

With  this  regard,  their  currents  turn  awry, 

And  lose  the  name  of  action. —  Soft  you  now  ! 

\Re-e)iter  Ophelia,  reading. 
The  fair  Ophelia. —  Nymph,  in  thy  orisons 
Be  all  my  sins  remembered. 

Oph.  {Coldly. 

Good  my  lord. 
How  does  your  honour  for  this  many  a  day  ? 

Hamlet.  \  Going. 

I  humbly  thank  yoil ;  well,  well,  well. 

Oph. 

My  lord,  I  have  remembrances  of  yours, 
That  I  have  longed  long  to  re-deliver; 
I  pray  you,  now  receive  them. 

{Hamlet  here  catches  a  glimpse  of  the  King  and 
Folojiiics^  in  their  hiding-place  at  back  of  the 
scene. 

Hamlet. 
No,  not  I ; 
I  never  gave  you  aught. 


HAMLET.  •  63 

Oph. 
My  honoured  lord,  you  know  right  well  you  did ; 
And,  with  them,  words  of  so  sweet  breath  composed 
As  made  the  things  more  rich  :  their  perfume  lost, 
Take  these  again ;  for  to  the  noble  mind 
Rich  gifts  wax  poor  when  givers  prove  unkind. 
There,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 
Ha,  ha !  are  you  honest  ? 

Oph. 
My  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 

Are  you  fair  ? 


\ 


What  means  your  lordship  ? 

Hamlet. 

That  if  you  be  honest  and  fair,  your  honesty  should 
dmit  no  discourse  to  your  beauty. 


Oph. 

Could  beauty,  my  lord,  have  better  commerce  than  with 
honesty  ? 

Hamlet. 

Ay,  truly ;  for  the  power  of  beauty  will  sooner  transform 
honesty  from  what  it  is  to  a  bawd  than  the  force  of  honesty 
can  translate  beauty  into  his  likeness :  this  was  sometime 
a  paradox,  but  now  the  time  gives  it  proof  I  did  love 
you  once. 

Oph. 

Indeed,  my  lord,  you  made  me  believe  so. 

Hamlet. 

You  should  not  have  believed  me;  for  virtue  cannot  so 
inoculate  our  old  stock,  but  we  shall  relish  of  it :  I  loved 
you  not. 


HAMLET.  64 

Oph. 

I  was  the  more  deceived. 

Hamlet. 

Get  thee  to  a  nunnery :  why  wouldst  thou  be  a  breeder 
of  sinners  ?  I  am  myself  indifferent  honest ;  but  yet  I 
could  accuse  me  of  such  things,  that  it  were  better  my 
mother  had  not  borne  me  :  I  am  very  j^roud,  revengeful, 
ambitious ;  with  more  offences  at  my  beck  than  I  have 
thoughts  to  put  them  in,  imagination  to  give  them  shape, 
or  time  to  act  them  in. 

What  should  such  fellows  as  I  do  crawling  between 
heaven  and  earth  ?  We  are  arrant  knaves,  all ;  believe 
none  of  us.  Go  thy  ways  to  a  nunnery.  Where  's  your 
father  ? 

Oph.  \Hesitatiiig. 

At  home,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

Let  the  doors  be  shut  upon  him,  that  he  may  play  the 
fool  nowhere  but  in  's  own  house.     Farewell. 

Oph. 
O,  help  him,  you  sweet  heavens! 

Hamlet. 

If  thou  dost  marry,  I  '11  give  thee  this  plague  for  thy 
dowry, —  be  thou  as  chaste  as  ice,  as  pure  as  snow,  thou 
shalt  not  escape  calumny.  Get  thee  to  a  nunnery,  go  : 
farewell.  Or,  if  thou  wilt  needs  marry,  marry  a  fool ;  for 
wise  men  know  well  enough  what  monsters  you  make  of 
them.     To  a  nunnery,  go  ;    and  quickly  too.     Farewell. 


Oph. 

O,  heavenly  powers,  restore  him! 


HAMLET.  65 

Ha7nlct. 
I  have  heard  of  your  paintings  too,  well  enough ;  God 
hath  given  you  one  face,  and  you  make  yourselves 
another  :  you  jig,  you  amble,  and  you  lisp,  and  nick-name 
God's  creatures,  and  make  your  wantonness  your  igno- 
rance. Go  to,  I  '11  no  more  on  't ;  it  hath  made  me  mad. 
I  say,  we  will  have  no  more  marriages :  those  that  are 
married  already,  all  but  one,  shall  live ;  the  rest  shall  keep 
as  they  are.     To  a  nunnery,  go.  \Exit. 

Oph. 

O,  what  a  noble  mind  is  here  o'erthrown ! 

The  courtier's,  soldier's,  scholar's,  eye,  tongue,  sword : 

The  expectancy  and  rose  of  the  fair  state, 

The  glass  of  fashion  and  the  mould  of  form. 

The  observed  of  all  observers, —  quite,  quite  down! 

And  I,  of  ladies  most  deject  and  wretched, 

That  sucked  the  honey  of  his  music  vows, 

Now  see  that  noble  and  most  sovereign  reason, 

Like  sweet  bells  jangled,  out  of  tune  and  harsh  ; 

That  unmatched  form  and  feature  of  blown  youth 

Blasted  with  ecstasy  :    O,  woe  is  me. 

To  have  seen  what  I  have  seen,  see  w4iat  I  see  ! 

\Exit  Ophelia. 
\Re-enter  King  and  Polonius. 

King. 

Love !  his  affections  do  not  tliat  way  tend; 

Nor  what  he  spake,  though  it  lacked  form  a  little, 

Was  not  like  madness.     There  's  something  in  liis  soul, 

O'er  which  his  melancholy  sits  on  brood ; 

And,  I  do  doubt,  the  hatch  and  the  disclose 

Will  be  some  danger  :    which  for  to  prevent, 

I  have  in  quick  determination 

Thus  set  it  down  :  —  he  shall  with  speed  to  England,- 

For  the  demand  of  our  neglected  tribute  : 

Haply,  the  seas,  and  countries  different, 

With  variable  objects,  shall  expel 

This  something- setded  matter  in  his  heart; 

Whereon  his  brain  still  beating,  puts  him  tlius 

From  fashion  of  himself.     What  think  you  on  't  ? 


kV 


>  ■  / 


HAMLET.  66 

Fol 

It  shall  do  well ;   but  yet  do  I  believe 

The  origin  and  commencement  of  his  grief 

Sprung  from  neglected  love. 

My  lord,  do  as  you  please ; 

But,  if  you  hold  it  fit,  after  the  play, 

Let  his  queen  mother  all  alone  entreat  him 

To  show  his  grief:    let  her  be  round  with  him  ; 

And  I  '11  be  placed,  so  please  you,  in  the  ear 

Of  all  their  conference.     If  she  find  him  not, 

To  England  send  him ;    or  confine  him  where 

Your  wisdom  best  shall  tliink. 

King. 
It  shall  be  so  : 
Madness  in  great  ones  must  not  unwatched  go. 

[Exeunt  c. 

)ttXit  ^cconti. — A  Hall  in  the  Castle  [First  Grooves]. 

[n.  b. — During  this  scene,  set  the  Dais  with  chairs 
R,  Platform  l,  chair  and  stool  c. 

[Enter  Hamlet  and  First  Player. 

Hafnlet. 

Speak  the  speech,  I  pray  you,  as  I  pronounced  it  to 
you,  trippingly  on  the  tongue  :  but  if  you  mouth  it,  as 
many  of  our  players  do,  I  had  as  lief  the  town-crier  spoke 
my  lines.  Nor  do  not  saw  the  air  too  much  with  your 
hand,  thus ;  but  use  all  gently :  for  in  the  very  torrent, 
tempest,  and,  as  I  may  say,  the  whirlwind  of  passion,  you 
must  acquire  and  beget  a  temperance  that  may  give  it 
smoothness.  O,  it  offends  me  to  the  soul  to  hear  a  robust- 
ious, periwig-pated  fellow  tear  a  passion  to  tatters,  to 
very  rags,  to  split  the  ears  of  the  groundlings;  who,  for 
the  most  part,  are  capable  of  nothing  but  inexplicable 
dumb-shows  and  noise :  I  would  have  such  a  fellow 
whipped  for  o'erdoing  Termagant:  it  out-herods  Herod: 
pray  you,  avoid  it. 


HAMLET.  67 

First  Player. 
I  warrant  your  honour. 

Hamlet, 

Be  not  too  tame  neither,  but  let  }-our  own  discretion  be 
your  tutor :  suit  the  action  to  the  word,  the  word  to  the 
action ;  with  this  special  observance,  that  you  o'erstep  not 
the  modesty  of  nature  :  for  anything  so  overdone  is  from 
the  purpose  of  playing,  whose  end,  both  at  the  first  and 
now,  was  and  is,  to  hold,  as  't  were,  the  mirror  up  to 
nature ;  to  show,  virtue  her  own  feature,  scorn  her  own 
image,  and  the  very  age  and  body  of  the  time  his  form 
and  pressure.  Now,  this  overdone,  or  come  tardy  off, 
though  it  make  the  unskilful  laugh,  cannot  but  make  the 
judicious  grieve ;  the  censure  of  the  which  one  must,  in 
your  allowance,  o'erweigh  a  whole  theatre  of  others.  O, 
there  be  players  that  I  have  seen  play, —  and  heard  others 
praise,  and  that  highly, — not  to  speak  it  profanely,  that, 
neither  having  the  accent  of  Christians,  nor  the  gait  of 
Christian,  pagan,  nor  7na7i,  have  so  strutted  and  bellowed, 
that  I  have  thought  some  of  nature's  journeymen  had 
made  ^tfeeffi-,  and  not  made  them  well,  they  imitated 
humanity  so  abominably. 

First  Flayer. 
I  hope  we  have  reformed  that  indifferently  with  us,  sir. 

Hamlet. 
O,  reform  it  altogether.  And  let  those  that  play  your 
clowns  speak  no  more  than  is  set  down  for  them  :  for  there 
be  of  them  that  will  themselves  laugh,  to  set  on  some 
quantity  of  barren  spectators  to  laugh  too ;  though,  in  the 
meantime,  some  necessary  question  of  the  play  be  then  to 
be  considered :  that's  villainous,  and  shows  a  most  pitiful 
ambition  in  the  fool  that  uses  it.     Go,  make  you  ready. 

\^Exit  Player. 
Horatio !  \Enter  Horatio. 

Horatio. 
Here,  sweet  lord,  at  your  service. 


HAMLET.  68 


Haitilet. 


Horatio,  thou  art  e'en  as  just  a  man 
As  e'er  my  conversation  coped  withal, 

Horatio. 

0,  my  dear  lord, — 

Hamlet. 

Nay,  do  not  think  I  flatter; 

For  what  advancement  may  I  hope  from  thee. 

That  no  revenue  hast,  but  thy  good  spirits. 

To  feed  and  clothe  thee  ?  Why  should  the  poor  be  flattered  ? 

No,  let  the  candied  tongue  lick  absurd  pomp  ; 

And  crook  the  pregnant  hinges  of  the  knee 

Where  thrift  may  follow  fawning.     Dost  thou  hear  ? 

Since  my  dear  soul  was  mistress  of  her  choice. 

And  could  of  men  distinguish,  her  election 

Hath  sealed  thee  for  herself :  for  thou  hast  been 

As  one,  in  suffering  all,  that  suffers  nothing ; 

A  man  that  fortune's  buffets  and  rewards 

Hast  ta'en  with  equal  thanks  :  and  blessed  are  those 

Whose  blood  and  judgment  are  so  well  co-mingled. 

That  they  are  not  a  pipe  for  fortune's  finger 

To  sound  what  stop  she  please.     Give  me  that  man 

That  is  not  passion's  slave,  and  I  will  wear  him 

In  my  heart's  core,  ay,  in  my  heart  of  heart, 

As  I  do  thee.  —  Something  too  much  of  this. 

There  is  a  play  to-night  before  the  king ; 

One  scene  of  it  comes  near  the  circumstance 

Which  I  have  told  thee  of  my  father's  death : 

I  pr'ythee,  when  thou  seest  that  act  a-foot, 

Even  with  the  very  comment  of  thy  soul. 

Observe  mine  uncle  :  if  his  occulted  guilt 

Do  not  itself  unkennel  in  one  speech. 

It  is  a  damned  ghost  that  we  have  seen ; 

And  my  imaginations  are  as  foul 

As  Vulcan's  stithy.     Give  him  heedful  note  : 

For  I  mine  eyes  will  rivet  to  his  face ; 

And,  after,  we  will  both  our  judgments  join 

In  censure  of  his  seeming. 


HAiMLET.  69 

Horatio. 
Well,  my  lord.  [March,  pp. 

Hamlet 

They  are  coming  to  the  play.     Get  you  a  place, 
must  be  idle.     ^14.^  »»*  H<u»\esw      [Exeunt.     See /le  changes. 


httx^t  Cl^trtl. — Same  as  Scene  First. 

[Guards,  lords,  and  ladies  discovered.  Danish 
march.  Ejiter  King,  Queen,  Folonius,  Horatio, 
Ophelia,  Rosencrantz,  Guildetister?i,  and  Ha??ilet. 

Xing.  [Ascends  throne  r. 

How  fares  our  cousin  Hamlet  ? 

Hamlet. 

Excellent,  i'  faith  ;  of  the  chameleon's  dish :  I  eat  the  air, 
)romise-crammed :  you  cannot  feed  capons  so. 

King 

I  have  nothing  with  this  answer,  Hamlet ;  these  words 
ire  not  mine. 

Hamlet. 

No,  nor    mine   now.       [To  Polofiius.]       My  lord,   you 
)layed  once  in  the  university,  you  say  ? 

Pol. 

That   did  I,  my  lord;  and  was  accounted  a  good  actor 

Hamlet. 

And  what  did  you  enact  ? 

Fol. 

I   did   enact  Julius  Caesar :   I  was  killed  i'  the  Capitol ; 
jiutus  killed  me. 
9 


HAMLET. 


Hamlet. 


70 


It  was  a  brute  part  of  him  \Aside\  to  kill  so  capital  a 
:alf  there. —  Be  the  players  ready  ? 

Ros. 
Ay,  my  lord ;   they  stay  upon  your  patience. 

Que  €71. 
Come  hither,  my  dear  Hamlet,  sit  by  me. 

Hamlet. 
No,  good  mother,  here  's  metal  more  attractive. 

Pol.  {To  the  King. 

O,  ho  !  do  you  mark  that  ? 

Hamlet. 

Lady,  shall  I  he  in  your  lap  ? 

{Lying  down  at  Ophelia' s  feet. 

Oph. 
You  are  merry,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 
O,  your  only  jig-maker.     What  should  a  man  do  but 
be  merry  ?  for,  look  you,  how  cheerfully  my  mother  looks, 
and  my  father  died  within  these  two  hours. 

Oph. 

Nay,  't  is  twice  two  months,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

So  long  ?  Nay,  then,  let  the  devil  wear  black,  for  I  'II 
lave  a  suit  of  sables.  Two  months  ago,  and  not  for- 
gotten yet  ?  Then  there  's  hope  a  great  man's  memory 
nay  outhve  his  hfe  half  a  year  :  but,  by  'r  lady,  he  must 
Duild  churches,  then. 

Oph. 

What  means  the  play,  my  lord  ? 


HAMLET. 


71 


Hamlet. 
Miching  mallecho  ;  it  means  mischief. 
Oph. 

But  what  is  the  argument  of  the  play  ? 

{^Enter  Second  Actor,  as  Prolo_ipie. 

Hamlet. 
We  shall  know  by  this  fellow, 

Seco7id  Actor. 
For  us,  and  for  our  tragedy, 
Here  stooping  to  your  clemency, 
We  beg  your  hearing  patiently. 

Ha??ilet. 
Is  this  a  prologue  or  the  posy  of  a  ring  ? 

Oph. 
'T  is  brief,  my  lord. 

Ha7?ilet. 
As  woman's  love. 

\^This  reference  is  to  the  Queen ,  a7id — mo urti fully  — 
to  the  evanescence  of  all  love. 

[Enter  a  King- and  a  Queen. 

P.  King. 
Full  thirty  times  hath  Phoebus'  car  gone  round 
Neptune's  salt  wash  and  Tellus'  orbed  ground, 
And  thirty  dozen  moons  with  borrowed  sheen 
About  the  world  have  times  twelve  thirties  been. 
Since  love  our  hearts,  and  Hymen  did  our  hands, 
Unite  commutual  in  most  sacred  bands. 

P.  Queen. 
So  many  journeys  may  the  sun  and  moon 
Make  us  again  count  o'er  ere  love  be  done ! 
But,  woe  is  me,  you  are  so  sick  of  late, 
So  far  from  cheer  and  from  your  former  state, 
That  I  distrust  you.     Yet,  though  I  distrust, 
Discomfort  you,  my  lord,  it  nothing  must : 
For  women's  fear  and  love  hold  quantity  ; 


HAMLET.  72 

In  neither  aught,  or  in  extremity. 

Now,  what  my  love  is   proof  hath  made  you  know  ; 

And  as  my  love  is  sized,  my  fear  is  so  : 

Where  love  is  great,  the  httlest  doubts  are  fear  ; 

Where  little  fears  grow  great,  great  love  grows  there. 

P.  King. 

Faith,  I  must  leave  thee,  love,  and  shortly  too ; 
My  operant  powers  their  functions  leave  to  do : 
And  thou  shalt  live  in  this  fair  world  behind. 
Honored,  beloved  ;  and  haply,  one  as  kind 
For  husband  shalt  thou 

P.  Queen. 
O,  confound  the  rest ! 
Such  love  must  needs  be  treason  in  my  breast : 
In  second  husband  let  me  be  accurst ! 
None  wed  the  second  but  who  killed  the  first. 

Ha77ilet.  \Aside. 

V or m wood,  wormwood. 


I  do  believe  you  think  what  now  you  speak  ; 

But  what  we  do  determine  oft  we  break. 

Purpose  is  but  the  slave  to  memory  ; 

Of  violent  birth,  but  poor  validity  : 

Which  now,  like  fruit  unripe,  sticks  on  the  tree  ; 

But  fall,  unshaken,  when  they  mellow  be. 

Our  wills  and  fates  do  so  contrary  run. 

That  our  devices  still  are  overthrown  ; 

Our  thoughts  are  ours,  their  ends  none  of  our  own 

So  think  thou  wilt  no  second  husband  wed  ; 

But  die  thy  thoughts  when  thy  first  lord  is  dead. 

P.  Queen. 
Nor  earth  to  me  give  food,  nor  heaven  light ! 
Sport  and  repose  lock  from  me  day  and  night ! 
To  desperation  turn  my  trust  and  hope  ! 
An  anchor's  cheer  in  prison  be  my  scope  ! 
Each  opposite,  that  blanks  the  face  of  joy. 
Meet  what  I  would  have  well,  and  it  destroy  ! 
Both  here  and  hence,  pursue  me  lasting  strife, 
If  once  a  widow,  ever  I  be  wife  ! 

P.  King. 
'T  is  deeply  sworn. 


HAMLET.  73 

Hamlet. 
If  she  should  break  it  now ! 

p.  King. 
Sweet,  leave  me  here  awhile  ; 
My  spirits  grow  dull,  and  fain  I  would  beguile 
The  tedious  day  with  sleep.  [Sleeps. 

P.  Queen. 
Sleep  rock  thy  brain  ; 
And  never  come  mischance  between  us  twain  !  {Exit. 

Hamlet.  \To  the  Queen 

Madam,  how  like  you  this  play? 

Qtieen. 
The  lady  doth  protest  too  much,  methinks. 

Hamlet. 
O,  but  she  '11  keep  her  word. 

Ki7ig. 

Have  you  heard  the  argument  ?     Is  there  no  offence 
in  't? 

Hamlet. 

No,  no,  they  do  but  jest,  poison  in  jest;  no  offence  i' 
the  world. 

Ki7ig. 
What  do  you  call  the  play  ? 

Hamlet. 
The  Mouse-trap.  Marry,  how  ?  Tropically.  This  play 
is  the  image  of  a  murder  done  in  Vienna:  Gonzago  is  the 
duke's  name ;  his  wife,  Baptista :  you  shall  see  anon ;  't  is 
a  knavish  piece  of  work  :  but  what  o'  that?  your  majesty, 
and  w^e  that  have  free  souls,  it  touches  us  not:  let  the 
galled  jade  wince !  our  withers  are  unwrung. 

[Enter  Second  Actor,  as  Luciatius. 

This  is  one  Lucianus,  nephew  to  the  king. 


HAMLET.  74 

Oph. 

You  are  as  good  as  a  chorus,  my  lord. 
Hainlet. 

I  could  interpret  between  you  and  your  love — [^side] 
if  I  could  see  the  puppets  dallying.  Begin,  murderer; 
leave  thy  damnable  faces,  and  begin.  Come  : —  the  croak- 
ing raven  doth  bellow  for  revenge. 

Lucianus. 
Thoughts  black,  hands  apt,  drugs  fit,  and  time  agreeing  ; 
Confederate  season,  else  no  creature  seeing  ; 
Thou  mixture  rank,  of  midnight  weeds  collected, 
With  Hecate's  ban  thrice  blasted,  thrice  infected, 
Thy  natural  magic  and  dire  property, 
On  wholesome  life  usurp  iriimediately. 

[Ponrs  the  poison  into  the  sleeper  s  ear. 

Hamlet. 
He   poisons   him  i'   the   garden   for   his    estate.      His\ 
name  's  Gonzago :  the  story  is  extant,  and  written  in  very y 
choice  Italian.     You   shall   see  anon  how  the   murder^ 
gets  the  love  of  Gonzago's  wife. 

Kijig. 

Give  o'er  the  play  !     Away  ! 

[General  alarm  and  co7ifiision.     As  the  King  rises ^ 
the  players  hur7'iedly  quit  the  platform  j   Ophelia' 
runs  to  Poloniiis  J  and  the  whole  throng  rushes 
out.,   after  the  King  and  Queen,  leaving  Hamlet 
and  Horatio  alone  together. 

Hamlet. 
Why,  let  the  strucken  deer  go  weep, 

The  hart  ungalled  play; 
For  some  must  watch,  while  some  must  sleep  : 

So  runs  the  w^orld  away. 

O,  good  Horatio,  I  '11  take  the  ghost's  word  for  a  thou- 
sand pound.     Didst  perceive  ? 

Ho7'atio. 
Very  well,  my  lord. 


HAMLET.  75 

Hamlet. 
Upon  the  talk  of  the  poisoning, — 

Horatio. 
I  did  very  well  note  him. 

Hamlet. 
Ah,   ha!  —  Come,  some   music!    come,  the    recorders! 
Come,  some  music ! 

\^Exit  Horatio  r. 

]Enter  Rosencraiitz  and  Giiildenstern  l. 

Guil. 
Good  my  lord,  vouchsafe  me  a  word  with  you. 

Hunlet. 
Sir,  a  whole  history. 

Guil. 
The  king,  sir, — 

Hamlet. 

Ay,  sir,  what  of  him  ? 

Guil. 
Is,  in  his  retirement,  marvellous  distempered. 

Hamlet. 

'Vs'xxh  drink,  sir  ? 

Guil. 
No,  my  lord,  with  choler. 

Hamlet. 

Your  wisdom  would  show  itself  more  richer  to  signify 
this  to  his  doctor ;  for,  for  me  to  put  him  to  his  purgation 
might  perhaps  plunge  him  into  more  choler. 

Guil. 

Good  my  lord,  put  your  discourse  into  some  frame,  and 
start  not  so  wildly  from  my  affair. 


HAMLET.  76 

Hamlet. 
I  am  tame,  sir: — pronomice. 

GuiL 

The  queen,  your  mother,  in  most  great  affliction  of  spirit, 
hath  sent  me  to  you. 

Hamlet. 

You  are  welcome. 

GuiL 

Nay,  good  my  lord,  this  courtesy  is  not  of  the  right 
breed.  If  it  shall  please  you  to  make  me  a  wholesome 
answer,  I  will  do  your  mother's  commandment :  if  not, 
your  pardon  and  my  return  shall  be  the  end  of  my  business. 

Hamlet. 
Sir,  I  cannot. 

Giiil. 
What,  my  lord  ? 

Hamlet. 

Make  you  a  wholesome  answer ;  my  wit  's  diseased : 
but,  sir,  such  answer  as  I  can  make,  you  shall  command ; 
therefore  no  more,  but  to  the  matter:  my  mother,  you 
say,— 

Ros. 

Then  thus  she  says  ;  your  behaviour  hath  struck  her  uito 
amazement  and  admiration. 

Hamlet. 
O,  wonderful    son,  that  can  so  astonish  a  mother!  — 
But  is  there  no  sequel  at  the  heels  of  this  mother's  admira- 
tion ?     Impart. 

Ros. 
She  desires  to  speak  with  you  in  her  closet,  ere  you  go 
to  bed. 

Hamlet. 

We  shall  obey,  were  she  ten  times  our  mother.  Have 
you  any  further  trade  with  us  ? 


HAMLET.  77 

Ros. 

My  lord,  you  once  did  love  me. 

Ha?nlct. 
So  I  do  still,  by  these  pickers  and  stealers. 

Ros. 

Good  my  lord,  what  is  your  cause  of  distemper  ?  you  do, 
surely,  bar  the  door  upon  your  own  liberty,  if  you  deny 
your  griefs  to  your  friend. 

Hamlet. 
Sir,  I  lack  advancement. 

Ros. 

How  can  that  be,  when  you  have  the  voice  of  the  king 
himself  for  your  succession  in  Denmark  ? 

Hamlet. 

Ay,  sir,  but  "  While  the  grass  grows,"  —  the  proverb  is 
something  musty. 

\E71ter  Hoi'atio  with  two  musicians. 

O,  the  recorders  : — let  me  see  one. 

yHamtet  takes   one   of  the  fiiites.     Guildeiistern 
passes  to  the  r.  of  Hamlet.,  as  if  to  overhear  what 
may  pass  between  him  a?id  Horatio. 
To  withdraw  with  you. 

[Exeimt  Horatio  and  the  musicians  R. 
Why  do  you  go  about  to  recover  the  wind  of  me,  as  if  you 
would  drive  me  into  a  toil  ? 

Guil. 
O,  my  lord,  if  my  duty  be  too  bold,  my  love  is  too 
unmannerly. 

Hamlet. 

I  do  not  well  understand  that.  Will  you  play  upon  this 
pipe? 

Guil. 
My  lord,  I  cannot. 
10 


HAMLET.  78 

Hamlet. 
I  pray  you. 

Guil. 
Believe  me,  I  cannot. 

Hamlet. 
I  do  beseech  jvw. 

Ros. 
I  know  no  touch  of  it,  my  lord. 

Hamlet. 

'T  is  as  easy  as  lying :  govern  these  ventages  with  your 
fingers  and  thumb,  give  it  breath  with  your  mouth,  and  it 
will  discourse  most  eloquent  music.  Look  you,  these  are 
the  stops. 

Guil. 

But  these  cannot  I  command  to  any  utterance  of  har- 
niony ;   I  have  not  the  skill. 

Hamlet. 
Why,  look  you  now,  how  unworthy  a  thing  you  make  of 
me  1  You  would  play  upon  me ;  you  would  seem  to  know 
my  stops ;  you  would  pluck  out  the  heart  of  my  mystery; 
you  would  sound  me  from  my  lowest  note  to  the  top  of  my 
compass  :  and  there  is  much  music,  excellent  voice,  in  this 
little  organ ;  yet  cannot  you  make  it  speak.  'Sdeath,  do 
you  think  I  am  easier  to  be  played  on  than  a  pipe  ?  Call 
me  what  instrument  you  will,  though  you  may  fret  me,  you 
cannot  play  upon  me. 

\Enter  Foloniiis  l. 


My  lord  !  my  lord  ! 
God  bless  you,  sir ! 


Pol. 
Hamlet. 


Pol. 
My  lord,  the  queen  would  speak  with  you,  and  presendy. 

Hamlet. 
Do  you  see  yonder  cloud  that 's  almost  in  shape  of  a 
camel  ? 


HAMLET.  79 


Pol. 
By  the  mass,  and  't  is  like  a  camel,  indeed. 

Hamlet. 
Methinks  it  is  like  a  weasel. 

Pol 

It  is  backed  like  a  weasel. 


Or  like  a  whale  ? 
Very  like  a  whale. 


Hamlet. 
Pol. 

Hatnlet. 


Then  will  I  come  to  my  mother  by-and-by. — They  fool 
me  to  the  top  of  my  bent. —  I  will  come  by-and-by. 


I  will  say  so. 


Pol 


Hamlet. 


By-and-by  is  easily  said,  sir.     [Exit  Polonius.'] — Leave 
me,  friends. 

\Exeunt  Roseiicra7itz  and  Guildenstern. 
'T  is  now  the  very  witching  time  of  night, 
When  churchyards  yawn,  and  hell  itself  breathes  out 
Contagion  to  this  world :  now  could  I  drink  hot  blood. 
And  do  such  bitter  business  as  the  day 
Would  quake  to  look  on.     Soft !   now  to  my  mother. — 
O,  heart,  lose  not  thy  nature ;  let  not  ever 
The  soul  of  Nero  enter  this  firm  bosom  : 
Let  me  be  cruel,  not  unnatural ; 
I  will  speak  daggers  to  her,  but  use  none. 

{Exit  Hamlet. 


HAMLET.  80 

gcew  JTouttl).  I  A  (^^3;^^  ™E  Castle.     [First 

[En ft'?;  L.,  -^/V/,^',  Rosencrantz  and  Guildefistern. 

King. 

I  like  him  not;  nor  stands  it  safe  with  us 
To  let  his  madness  range.     Therefore  prepare  you ; 
I  your  commission  will  forthwith  despatch, 
And  he  to  England  shall  along  with  you  : 
Arm  you,  I  pray  you,  to  this  speedy  voyage ; 
For  we  will  fetters  put  upon  this  fear, 
Which  now  goes  too  free-footed. 

Ros.,  Guil. 
We  will  haste  us. 

[Exeii7it,  R.,  Rose7icraniz  and  Guildenstcni. 
[Enter  Polonius  l. 
Pol. 
My  lord,  he  's  going  to  his  mother's  closet : 
Behind  the  arras  I  '11  convey  myself, 
To  hear  the  process;   I  '11  warrant  she  '11  tax  him  home : 
And,  as  you  said,  and  wisely  was  it  said, 
'T  is  meet  that  some  more  audience  than  a  mother. 
Since  nature  makes  them  partial,  should  o'erhear 
The  speech  of  vantage.     Fare  you  well,  my  liege  : 
I  '11  call  upon  you  ere  you  go  to  bed. 
And  tell  you  what  I  know. 

King. 

Thanks,  dear  my  lord. 

[Exit  Polcviiiis  L. 
O,  my  offence  is  rank,  it  smells  to  heaven;    ^ 
It  hath  the  primal,  eldest  curse  upon  't, — 
A  brother's  murder  1  —  Pray  can  I  not. 
Though  inclination  be  as  sharp  as  will : 
My  stronger  guilt  defeats  my  strong  intent; 
And,  like  a  man  to  double  business  bound, 
I  stand  in  pause  where  I  shall  first  begin. 


^ 

4 


HAMLET.  8 1 

And  both  neglect.     What  if  this  cursed  hand 

Were  thicker  than  itself  with  brother's  blood, — 

Is  there  not  rain  enough  in  the  sweet  heavens 

To  wash  it  white  as  snow  ?     Whereto  serves  mercy 

But  to  confront  the  visage  of  offence  ? 

And  what's  in  prayer  but  this  twofold  force, — 

To  be  forestalled  ere  we  come  to  fall. 

Or  pardoned  being  down  ?     Then  I  '11  look  up  ; 

My  fault  is  past.     But,  O,  what  form  of  prayer 

Can  serve  my  turn  ?     Forgive  me  my  foul  murder !  — 

That  cannot  be ;  since  I  am  still  possessed 

Of  those  effects  for  which  I  did  the  murder, — 

My  crown,  mine  own  ambition,  and  my  queen. 

May  one  be  pardoned,  and  retain  the  offence  ? 

In  the  corrupted  currents  of  this  world 

Offence's  gilded  hand  may  shove  by  justice ; 

And  oft  't  is  seen  the  wicked  prize  itself 

Buys  out  the  law :  but  't  is  not  so  above ; 

There  is  no  shuffling, —  there  the  action  Hes 

In  his  true  nature ;  and  we  ourselves  compelled, 

Even  to  the  teeth  and  forehead  of  our  faults, 

To  give  in  evidence.     What  then  ?   what  rests  ? 

Try  what  repentance  can :  what  can  it  not  ? 

Yet  what  can  it,  when  one  cannot  repent  ? 

O,  wretched  state!     O,  bosom  black  as  death! 

0,  limed  soul,  that,  struggling  to  be  free, 

Art  more  engaged!     Help,  angels  !  make  assay: 
Bow,  stubborn  knees ;   and,  heart,  with  strings  of  steel. 
Be  soft  as  sinews  of  the  new-born  babe ! 
All  may  be  well.  [Retires  ajid  kneels  at  Shrine  c. 

\The  following  speech  is  sometimes  omitted?^ 

\E)iter  Hamlet. 
Hamlet. 
Now  might  I  do  it  pat,  now  he  is  praying ; 
And  now  I  '11  do  't ;  — and  so  he  goes  to  heaven 
And  so  am  I  revenged  ?  —  that  would  be  scaimed 
A  villain  kills  my  father ;   and,  for  that, 

1,  his  sole  son,  do  this  same  villain  send 
To  heaven. 


HAMLET.  82 

Why,  this  is  hire  and  salary,  not  revenge. 

He  took  my  fother  grossly  full  of  bread ; 

With  all  his  crimes  broad  blown,  as  flush  as  May  ; 

And  how  his  audit  stands  who  knows  save  heaven  ? 

But,  in  our  circumstance  and  course  of  thought, 

'T  is  heavy  with  him :  and  am  I,  then,  revenged, 

To  take  him  in  the  purging  of  his  soul, 

AVhen  he  is  fit  and  seasoned  for  his  passage  ? 

No. 

Up,  sword;  and  know  thou  a  more  horrid  hent : 

When  he  is  drunk,  asleep,  or  in  his  rage; 

At  gaming,  swearing;    or  about  some  act 

That  has  no  relish  of  salvation  in  't;  — 

Then  trip  him,  that  his  heels  may  kick  at  heaven ; 

And  that  his  soul  may  be  as  damned  and  black 

As  hell,  whereto  it  goes.     My  mother  stays  : 

This  physic  but  prolongs  thy  sickly  days^ 

\Exit  Hamlet. 
[  The  King  rises  and  advances. 

King. 

My  words  fly  up,  my  thoughts  remain  below  iN 
Words  without  thoughts  never  to  heaven  go.  / 

\^Exit  the  King. 


C  The  Queen's  Private   Apartment  in 

^ttxu   iFift().    <      the  Castle.  Dim  Light.  The  Queen, 

(      Seated,  and  Polonius,  Discovered. 

Pol. 

He  will  come  straight.     Look  you  lay  home  to  him : 
Tell  him  his  pranks  have  been  too  broad  to  bear  with, 
And  that  your  grace  hath  screened  and  stood  between 
Much  heat  and  him.     I  '11  sconce  me  e'en  here. 
Pray  you,  be  round  with  him. 

Ha?nlet.  [Within. 

Mother,  mother,  mother ! 


HAMLET.  83 

Queen. 

I  '11  warrant  you; 

Fear  me  not :  — withdraw,  I  hear  him  coming. 
■  [Folonius  conceals  himself  behind  the  arras. 

[Enter  Hamlet. 
Hamlet. 

Now,  mother,  what  's  the  matter  ? 

Qneefi. 
Hamlet,  thou  hast  thy  father  much  oftended. 

Hamlet. 
Mother,  you  have  my  father  much  oftended. 

Queen. 
Come,  come,  you  answer  with  an  idle  tongue. 

Hamlet. 
Go,  go,  you  question  with  a  wicked  tongue. 
Qiieen. 
V    Why,  how  now,  Hamlet ! 
f  Hamlet. 

What  's  the  matter  now  ? 

Qjieen. 
Have  you  forgot  me  ? 

Hamlet. 
No,  by  the  rood,  not  so : 

You  are  the  queen,  your  husband's  brother's  wife ; 
And, —  would  it  were  not  so!  —  you  are  my  mother. 

Queen. 
Nay,  then,  I  'II  set  those  to  you  that  can  speak. 

Hamlet. 
You  shall  not  budge. 
You  go  not  till  I  set  you  up  a  glass 
Where  you  may  see  the  inmost  part  of  you. 


HAMLET.  84 

Qiieen. 

What  wilt  thou  do  ?  thou  wilt  not  murder  me  ?  — 
Help,  help,  ho ! 

Pol.  [  Within. 

What,  ho  !  help,  help,  help  ! 

Hamlet.  \Draws  sword. 

How  now !  a  rat  ?     Dead,  for  a  ducat,  dead  ! 

\Makes  a  pass  through  the  arras. 

Pol.  [  Within. 

O,  I  am  slain! 

Queen. 

O,  me,  what  hast  thou  done? 

Ha/nlet. 
Nay,  I  know  not: 
Is  it  the  king  ? 

Queen. 
O,  what  a  rash  and  bloody  deed  is  this ! 

Harnlet. 

A  bloody  deed  !  —  almost  as  bad,  good  mother, 
As  kill  a  king,  and  marry  with  his  brother. 

Queen. 
As  kill  a  king ! 

Hamlet. 

Ay,  lady,  't  was  my  word. 

\Lifts  up  the  arras,  and  sees  Polonius. 
Thou  wretched,  rash,  intruding  fool,  farewell ! 
I  took  thee  for  thy  better. 

\Queen^  in  great  agitation,  seems  about  to  speak. 
Leave  wringing  of  your  hands  :  peace  !  sit  you  down. 
And  let  me  wring  your  heart :  for  so  I  shall, 
If  it  be  made  of  penetrable  stuff; 
If  damned  custom  have  not  brazed  it  so. 
That  it  is  proof  and  bulwark  against  sense. 


HAMLET.  85 

Queen. 

What  have  I  done,  that  thou  darest  wag  thy  tongue 
In  noise  so  rude  against  me  ? 

Ha??ilet. 
Such  an  act 

That  blurs  the  grace  and  blush  of  modesty ; 
Calls  virtue  hypocrite ;  takes  off  the  rose 
From  the  fair  forehead  of  an  innocent  love, 
And  sets  a  blister  there ;  makes  marriage-vows 
As  false  as  dicers'  oaths :    O,  such  a  deed 
As  from  the  body  of  contraction  plucks 
The  very  soul ;   and  sweet  religion  makes 
A  rhapsody  of  words  :  heaven's  face  doth  glow ; 
Yea,  this  solidity  and  compound  mass, 
With  tristful  visage,  as  against  the  doom, 
Is  thought-sick  at  the  act. 

Queen. 

Ah  me,  what  act? 

Hamlet. 
Look  here,  upon  this  picture,  and  on  this, —  \    I'wa^rt^ 
The  counterfeit  presentment  of  two  brothers.  ] 
See  what  a  grace  was  seated  on  this  brow ;     / 
Hyperion's  curls;  the  front  of  Jove  himself;/ 
An  eye  like  Mars,  to  threaten  and  command ; 
A  station  like  the  herald  Mercury 
New-lighted  on  a  heaven-kissing  hill ; 
A  combination  and  a  form,  indeed. 
Where  every  god  did  seem  to  set  his  seal, 
To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man  : 
This  was  your  husband. —  Look  you  now,  what  follows ; 
Here  is  your  husband ;  like  a  mildewed  ear. 
Blasting  his  wholesome  brother.     Have  you  eyes  ? 
Could  you  on  this  fair  mountain  leave  to  feed, 
And  batten  on  this  moor  ?     Ha !  have  you  eyes  ? 
You  cannot  call  it  love ;  for  at  your  age 
The  hey-day  in  the  blood  is  tame,  it  's  humble. 
And  waits  upon  the  judgment :  and  what  judgment 


HAMLET.  S6 

Would  Stoop  from  this  to  this  ? 

O,  shame!  where  is  thy  blush?     Rebellious  hell, 

If  thou  canst  mutine  in  a  matron's  bones, 

To  flaming  youth  lef  virtue  be  as  wax, 

And  melt  in  her  own  fire. 

Queen. 

O  Hamlet,  speak  no  more : 

Thou  tum'st  mine  eyes  into  my  very  soul ; 

And  there  I  see  such  black  and  grained  spots 

As  will  not  leave  their  tinct. 

No  more,  sweet  Hamlet ! 


Hamlet. 

A  murderer  and  a  villain  ; 

A  slave,  that  is  not  twentieth  part  the  tithe 

Of  your  precedent  lord ;  a  Vice  of  kings ; 

A  cutpurse  of  the  empire  and  the  rule, 

That  from  a  shelf  the  precious  diadem  stole 

Queen. 

No  more ! 

Hamlet. 

A  Ving  of  c;V>rprlQ  anH  pafrhp^-^^ 

[Enter  Ghost  r. 

Save  me,  and  hover  o'er  me  with  your  wings. 

You  heavenly  guards  ! — What  would  your  gracious  figure? 


Alas  !  he  's  mad  ! 


Queen. 


Hamlet. 


Do  you  not  come  your  tardy  son  to  chide, 
That,  lapsed  in  time  and  passion,  lets  go  by 
The  important  acting  of  your  dread  command  ? 
O,  say! 


HAMLET. 

Ghost. 
Do  not  forget:  this  visitation 
Is  but  to  whet  thy  almost  blunted  purpose. 
But,  look,  amazement  on  thy  mother  sits : 
O,  step  between  her  and  her  fighting  soul, — 
Speak  to  her,  Hamlet. 

Hamlet. 
How  is  it  with  you,  lady  ? 

Queen. 
Alas !  how  is  't  with  you. 
That  you  do  bend  your  eye  on  vacancy. 
And  with  the  incorporal  air  do  hold  discourse  ? 
Forth  at  your  eyes  your  spirits  wildly  peep ; 
O,  gentle  son, 

Upon  the  heat  and  flame  of  your  distemper 
Sprinkle  cool  patience.     Whereon  do  you  look  ? 

Haifilet. 

On  him,  on  him  !     Look  you,  how  pale  he  glares ! 

His  form  and  cause  conjoined,  preaching  to  stones, 

Would  make  them  capable. —  Do  not  look  upon  me ; 

Lest  with  this  piteous  action  you  convert 

My  stern  effects :  then  what  I  have  to  do 

Will  want  true  colour ;  tears  perchance  for  blood. 

Queen. 
To  whom  do  you  speak  this  ? 

Hajfilet. 
Do  you  see  nothing  —  there  ? 

Queen. 
Nothing  at  all ;  yet  all  that  is  I  see. 

Hamlet. 
Nor  did  you  nothing  hear  ? 

Quee7i. 
No,  nothing  but  ourselves. 


87 


^  J 


HAMLET.  88 

Hatnlei. 

Why,  look  you  there !  look,  how  it  steals  away ! 

My  father,  in  his  habit  as  he  lived ! 

Look,  where  he  goes,  even  now,  out  at  the  portal ! 

\Exit  Ghost  L. 

Que £71.  [I/i  extreme  terror. 

This  is  the  very  coinage  of  your  brain  : 
This  bodiless  creation  ecstasy 
Is  very  cunning  in. 

Hamlet. 
Ecstasy ! 

My  pulse,  as  yours,  doth  temperately  keep  time. 
And  makes  as  healthful  music  :  it  is  not  madness 
That  I  have  uttered  :  bring  me  to  the  test, 
And  I  the  matter  will  re-word  ;  which  madness 
Would  gambol  from.     Mother,  for  love  of  grace, 
Lay  not  that  flattering  unction  to  your  soul. 
That  not  your  trespass,  but  my  madness  speaks : 
It  will  but  skin  and  film  the  ulcerous  place, 
Whilst  rank  corruption,  mining  all  within,      \ 
Infects  unseen.     Confess  yourself  to  heaven  ;/ 
Repent  what  's  past;  avoid  what  is  to  come ; 

Qtieen. 
O  Hamlet,  thou  hast  cleft  my  heart  in  twain. 

Ha^nlet. 

O,  throw  away  the  worser  part  of  it. 
And  live  the  purer  with  the  other  half. 
Good  night :  but  go  not  to  my  uncle's  bed ; 
Assume  a  virtue,  if  you  have  it  not. 
Once  more,  good  night : 

[  The  Queen  raises  her  ha?ids  as  if  to  bless  her  son. 
Hamlet  checks  the  motion  and  recoils  from  her. 
And  when  you  are  desirous  to  be  blessed, 


HAMLET.  89 

I  '11  blessing  beg  of  you. —  For  this  same  lord, 

[Fointi7ig  to  Foloniiis. 
I  do  repent : 

I  will  bestow  him,  and  will  answer  well 
The  death  I  gave  him.     So,  again,  good  night. — 
I  must  be  cruel,  only  to  be  kind  : 
Thus  bad  begins,  and  worse  remains  behind. 

CURTAIN. 


%tt  fonttl). 

§)Ctnt  JFirct — A  Room  in  the  Castle. 

\E71ter  Ki?ig. 
King. 

How  dangerous  is  it  that  this  man  goes  loose ! 

Yet  must  not  we  put  the  strong  law  on  him : 

He  's  loved  of  the  distracted  multitude, 

Who  like  not  in  their  judgment  but  their  eyes; 

And  where  't  is  so,  the  offender's  scourge  is  weighed, 

But  never  the  offence. 

yEnter  Rose7icra7itz. 
How  now  !  what  hath  befallen  ? 

Ros. 
\\Tiere  the  dead  body  is  bestowed,  my  lord. 
We  cannot  get  from  him. 

King. 
But  where  is  he  ? 

Ros. 
Without,  my  lord;    guarded,  to  know  your  pleasure. 

King. 

Bring  him  before  us. 

Ros. 

Ho,  Guildenstern  !  bring  in  my  lord. 

\Enter  Hamlet,  guarded,  and  Guildenstern. 

King 
Now,  Hamlet,  where  's  Polonius  ? 

Hamlet. 

At  supper. 


HAMLET. 


At  supper  !  where  ? 


Hamkt. 
Not  where  he  eats,  but  where  he  is  eaten  :    a  certain 
convocation  of  pohtic  worms  are  e'en  at  him. 

King. 

Where  is  Polonius  ? 

Hamlet. 

In  heaven  :  send  thither  to  see  :  if  your  messenger  find 
him  not  there,  seek  him  i'  the  other  place  yourself.  But, 
indeed,  if  you  find  him  not  within  this  month,  you  shall 
nose  him  as  you  go  up  the  stairs  into  the  lobby. 


King. 
Go  seek  him  there. 

[To  Gidldenstern. 

Hamlet. 

He  will  stay  till  you  come. 

[Exit  Gidldenstern. 
Ki?ig 

Hamlet,  this  deed,  for  thine  especial  safety, — 

Which  we  do  tender,  as  we  dearly  grieve 

For  that  which  thou  hast  done, —  must  send  thee  hence 

With  fiery  quickness  :  therefore  prepare  thyself; 

The  barque  is  ready,  and  the  wind  at  help, 

The  associates  tend,  and  everything  is  bent 

For  England. 

Hamlet. 
For  England  ! 

Ay,  Hamlet. 

Good. 

King. 
So  is  it,  if  thou  knewest  our  purposes. 


King 
Hamlet. 


HAMLET. 


92 


Hamlet. 

I  see  a  cherub  that  sees  them. —  But,  come ;    for  En- 
gland!—  Farewell,  dear  mother. 

King. 
Thy  loving  father,  Hamlet. 

Hamlet. 
My  mother  :  father  and  mother  is  man  and  wife ;  man 
and  wife  is  one  flesh;    and  so,  my  mother. —  Come,  for 
England  ! 

\Exit  Ha?nlet,  with  guards. 

King. 

Follow  him  at  foot ;    tempt  him  with  speed  aboard ; 
Delay  it  not ;    I  '11  have  him  hence  to-night ; 
Away  !  for  everything  is  sealed  and  done 
That  else  leans  on  the  affair :    pray  you,  make  haste. 

[Exit  Rosencrantz. 
And,  England,  if  my  love  thou  boldest  in  prize. 
Thou  mayest  not  coldly  estimate  at  naught 
My  sovereign  process ;    which  imports  at  full, 
By  letters  conjuring  to  that  effect, 
The  present  death  of  Hamlet.     Do  it,  England; 
For  like  the  hectic  in  my  blood  he  rages. 
And  thou  must  cure  me  :    till  I  know  't  is  done, 
Howe'er  my  haps,  my  joys  were  ne'er  begun. 

[Exit  King.     Scene  changes. 


^cene  ^ccontl* —  A  Room  in  the  Castle. 

[Enter  Queen  and  Marcelliis  c. 

Queen. 
I  will  not  speak  with  her. 

Mar. 

She  is  importunate  ;  indeed,  distract : 
Her  mood  will  needs  be  pitied. 


HAMLET.  93 

Queen. 

What  would  she  have  ? 

Mar. 

'T  were  good  she  were  spoken  with ;  for  she  may  strew 
Dangerous  conjectures  in  ill-breeding  minds. 

Queen. 
Let  her  come  in. 

\Exii  Marcelhis. 
To  my  sick  soul,  as  sin's  true  nature  is, 
Each  toy  seems  prologue  to  some  great  amiss : 
So  full  of  ardess  jealousy  is  guilt, 
It  spills  itself  in  fearing  to  be  spilt. 

\Enter  Marcelhis  with  Ophelia  c. 

Oph. 
Where  is  the  beauteous  majesty  of  Denmark  ? 


Qiiee7i. 
How  now,  Ophelia! 


{Sings. 

How  should  I  your  true  love  know 

From  another  one  ? 
By  his  cockle  hat  and  staff 

And  his  sandle  shoon. 

Queen. 
Alas  !  sweet  lady,  what  imports  this  song  ? 

Oph. 
Say  you  ?  nay,  pray  you,  mark.  \Sings. 

He  is  dead  and  gone,  lady, 

He  is  dead  and  gone  ; 
At  his  head  a  grass-green  turf, 

At  his  heels  a  stone. 

Queen. 
Nay,  but,  Ophelia, — 

12 


HAMLET, 

94 

Oph. 
Pray  you,  mark. 

[Enter  King  l. 

Queen. 

Alas  !  look  here,  my  lord. 

Oj>k. 

[Sings. 

White  his  shroud  as  the  mountain  snow, 

Larded  with  sweet  flowers ; 
Which  bewept  to  the  grave  did  go 

With  true-love  showers. 

Kifig 
How  do  you,  pretty  lady  ? 

Oph. 
Well,  God  'ild  you !     They  say  the  owl  was  a  baker's 
daughter.    Lord  !  we  know  what  we  are,  but  we  know  not 
what  we  may  be. 

Kijig. 
Conceit  upon  her  father. 

Oph. 

Pray  you,  let 's  have  no  words  of  this ;  but  when  they 
ask  you  what  it  means,  say  you  this :  [Sings. 

To-morrow  is  Saint  Valentine's  day, 

All  in  the  morning  betime, 
And  I  a  maid  at  your  window. 

To  be  your  Valentine. 

King. 
How  long  hath  she  been  thus  ? 

Oph. 
I  hope  all  will  be  well.  We  must  be  patient :  but  I 
cannot  choose  but  weep,  to  think  they  should  lay  him  i' 
the  cold  ground.  My  brother  shall  know  of  it :  and  so  I 
thank  you  for  your  good  counsel.  Come,  my  coach !  — 
Good  night,  ladies  ;  good  night,  sweet  ladies  ;  good  night, 
good  night.  [Exit  Ophelia  c. 


HAMLET. 


95 


Ki7ig. 

Follow  her,  close ;  give  her  good  watch,  I  pray  you. 

\Exit  Marcellus. 
O,  this  is  the  poison  of  deep  grief;  it  springs 
All  from  her  father's  death.     O,  Gertrude,  Gertrude, 
When  sorrows  come,  they  come  not  single  spies, 
But  in  battalions.  \A  noise  wiihiti. 

Queen. 

Alack,  what  noise  is  this  ? 

King. 

Where  are  my  Switzers  ?     Let  them  guard  the  door. 

\Speaki7ig  off  c. 
[Ejiter  Marcellus. 
What  is  the  matter  ? 

Mar. 

Save  yourself,  my  lord  : 

The  young  Laertes,  in  a  riotous  head, 

O'erbears  your  officers.     The  rabble  call  him  lord; 

They  cry,  "  Choose  we ;  Laertes  shall  be  king !  " 

Caps,  hands,  and  tongues,  applaud  it  to  the  clouds, 

"  Laertes  shall  be  king,  Laertes  king !  " 

[Exit  Marcellus.      Noise  within.     Enter  Laertes^  armed. 

Laer. 

O,  thou  vile  king. 
Give  me  my  father  ! 

Queen. 
Calmly,  good  Laertes. 

Laer. 

That  drop  of  blood  that  's  calm  proclaims  me  bastard ; 
Cries  cuckold  to  my  father ;  brands  the  harlot 
Even  here,  between  the  chaste  unsmirched  brows 
Of  my  true  mother. 


HAMLET.  96 

King. 
What  is  the  cause,  Laertes, 
That  thy  rebelhon  looks  so  giant-Hke  ?  — 
Let  him  go,  Gertrude  ;  do  not  fear  our  person: 
There  's  such  divinity  doth  hedge  a  king, 
That  treason  can  but  peep  to  what  it  would. — 
Tell  me,  Laertes, 

Why  thou  art  thus  incensed :  —  let  him  go,  Gertrude  :  — 
Speak,  man. 


Where  is  my  father  ? 

Dead. 

But  not  by  him. 

Let  him  demand  his  fill. 


Lacr. 

King. 

Queen. 

Kiji.z. 


Lacr. 

How  came  he  dead  ?     I  '11  not  be  juggled  with  : 
To  hell,  allegiance !  to  this  point  I  stand, — 
That  both  the  w^orlds  I  give  to  neghgence. 
Let  come  what  comes ;    only  I  '11  be  revenged 
Most  th'roughly  for  my  father. 

King 
Who  shall  stay  you  ? 

Laer. 

My  will,  not  all  the  w^orld  : 

And  for  my  means,  I  '11  husband  them  so  well. 

They  shall  go  far  with  little. 

King. 
Good  Laertes, 

If  you  desire  to  know  the  certainty 
Of  your  dear  father's  death,  is 't  writ  in  your  revenge, 
That,  sweepstake,  you  will  draw  both  friend  and  foe, 
Winner  and  loser  ? 


HAMLET.  97 

Laer. 
None  but  his  enemies. 

King. 
Will  you  know  them,  then  ? 

Laer. 

To  his  good  friends  thus  wide  I  '11  ope  my  arms ; 
And,  hke  the  kind,  Hfe-rendering  pelican. 
Repast  them  with  my  blood. 

King. 
Why,  now  you  speak 
Like  a  good  child  and  a  true  gentleman. 
That  I  am  guiltless  of  your  father's  death. 
And  am  most  sensibly  in  grief  for  it. 
It  shall  as  level  to  your  judgment  'pear 
As  day  does  to  your  eye. 

VOICES    OUTSIDE. 

Let  her  come  in  ! 

Laer. 

How  now  !  what  noise  is  that  ? 

\The  Queen  sits  l.     Re-enter  Ophelia. 
O,  heat,  dry  up  my  brains  !  tears  seven  times  salt, 
Burn  out  the  sense  and  virtue  of  mine  eyes !  — 
By  Heaven,  thy  madness  shall  be  paid  by  weight, 
Till  our  scale  turn  the  beam.     O,  rose  of  May  ! 
Dear  maid,  kind  sister,  sweet  Opheha  !  — 
O,  heavens  !  is't  possible,  a  young  maid's  wits 
Should  be  as  mortal  as  an  old  man's  life  ? 

Oj>h.  [Si?igs. 

They  bore  him  barefaced  on  the  bier; 
And  on  his  grave  rained  many  a  tear, — 

Fare  you  well,  my  dove ! 

Laer. 
Hadst  thou  thy  wits,  and  didst  persuade  revenge, 
It  could  not  move  thus. 


HAMLET.  cjS 

Oph. 
You   must   sing,  "  Down  a-down,  an  you   call   him   a- 
down-a."    O,  how  the  wheel  becomes  it !     'T  was  the  false 
steward,  that  stole  his  master's  daughter. 

Laer. 
This  nothing  's  more  than  matter. 

Oph. 

There  's  rosemary,  that»'s  for  remembrance ;  pray,  love, 
remember ;    and  there  is  pansies,  that 's  for  thoughts. 

Laer. 

A  document  in  madness, —  thoughts  and  remembrance 
fitted. 

Oph. 

There  's  fennel  for  you,  and  columbines  :  —  there  's  rue 
for  you;  and  here  's  some  for  me  :  —  we  may  call  it  herb 
of  grace  o'  Sundays:  —  you  may  wear  your  rue  with  a 
difference. — There's  a  daisy: — I  would  give  you  some 
violets,  but  they  withered  all  when  my  father  died  : — they 
say  he  made  a  good  end, — 

\Sings. 

For  bonny  sweet  Robin  is  all  my  joy. — 

Laer. 

Thought  and  affliction,  passion,  hell  itself, 
She  turns  to  favour  and  to  prettiness. 

Oph.  \Smgs. 

And  will  he  not  come  again  ? 
And  will  he  not  come  again? 

No,  no,  he  is  dead, 

Gone  to  his  death-bed, 
He  never  will  come  again. 

His  beard  was  white  as  snow, 
All  flaxen  was  his  poll : 

He  is  gone,  he  is  gone, 

And  we  cast  away  moan : 
God  ha'  mercy  on  his  soul ! 

And  of  all  Christian  souls,  I  pray  God. —  God  be  wi'  you. 

\Exit  Ophelia  and  Queeti. 


HAMLET. 


99 


Laer. 
Do  you  see  this,  O  Heaven  ? 

Kifig. 

Laertes,  I  must  c6mmune  with  your  grief. 

Or  you  deny  me  right.     Go  but  apart. 

Make  choice  of  whom  your  wisest  friends  you  will. 

And  they  shall  hear  and  judge  'twixt  you  and  me. 

If  by  direct  or  by  collateral  hand 

They  find  us  touched,  we  will  our  kingdom  give. 

Our  crown,  our  life,  and  all  that  we  call  ours. 

To  you  in  satisfaction  ;    but  if  not. 

Be  you  content  to  lend  your  patience  to  us. 

And  we  shall  jointly  labour  with  your  soul 

To  give  it  due  content. 

Laer. 

Let  this  be  so ; 

His  means  of  death,  his  obscure  funeral, — 

No  trophy,  sword,  nor  hatchment  o'er  his  bones, 

No  noble  rite  nor  formal  ostentation, — 

Cry  to  be  heard,  as  't  were  from  heaven  to  earth, 

That  I  must  call  't  in  question. 

King. 
So  you  shall; 

And  where  th'  offence  is  let  the  great  axe  fall. 
Hamlet,  who  hatli  your  noble  father  slain, 
Pursues  my  life. —  \E7iter  Bernardo. 

How  now  !  what  news  ?  [To  Bernardo. 

Ber. 

Letters,  my  lord,  from  Hamlet : 

This  to  your  majesty  ;  this  to  the  quecH. 

King. 
From  Hamlet !  who  brought  them  ? 

Ber. 
Sailors,  my  lord,  they  say ;  I  saw  them  not. 


HAMLET.  loO 


King. 


Laertes,  you  shall  hear  them. — 
Leave  us. 

[Exit  Bernardo. 

{^Reads']  High  and  mighty, — You  shall  know  I  am  set  naked  on  your 
kingdom.  To-morrow  shall  I  beg  leave  to  see  your  kingly  eyes  :  when 
I  shall,  first  asking  your  pardon  thereunto,  recount  the  occasion  of  my 
sudden  and  more  strange  return.  Hamlet. 

What  should  this  mean  ?     Are  all  the  rest  come  back  ? 
Or  is  it  some  abuse,  and  no  such  thing? 

Laer. 
Know  you  the  hand  ? 

King. 
'T  is  Hamlet's  character  :  —  "  Naked,'  — 
And  in  a  postscript  here,  he  says,  "  alone." 
Can  you  advise  me  ? 

Laer. 

I  'm  lost  in  it,  my  lord.     But  let  him  come ; 
It  warms  the  very  sickness  in  my  heart. 
That  I  shall  live  and  tell  him  to  his  teeth, 
"  Thus  diddest  thou." 

King 
If  it  be  so,  Laertes, — 
Will  you  be  ruled  by  me  ? 

Laer, 
Ay,  my  lord  ; 
So  you  will  not  o'errule  me  to  a  peace. 

King 

To  thine  own  peace.     If  he  be  now  returned, — 
As  checking  at  his  voyage,  and  that  he  means 
No  more  to  undertake  it, —  I  will  work  him 
To  an  exploit,  now  ripe  in  my  device 
Under  the  which  he  shall  not  choose  but  fall : 
And  for  his  death  no  wind  of  blame  shall  breathe; 
But  even  his  mother  shall  uncharge  the  practice, 
And  call  it  accident. 


HAMLET. 

Lacr. 

My  lord,  I  will  be  ruled ; 

The  rather,  if  you  could  devise  it  so, 

That  I  might  be  the  organ. 

Ki7ig. 
It  falls  right. 

You  have  been  talked  of,  since  your  travel,  much, 
And  that  in  Hamlet's  hearing,  for  a  quality 
Wherein,  they  say,  you  shine. 

Laer. 

What  part  is  that,  my  lord  ? 

King. 

A  very  riband  in  the  cap  of  youth, 

Yet  needful  too ; 

Here,  two  months  since, 

There  came  a  gentleman  of  Normandy, — 

Who  gave  you  such  a  masterly  report, 

For  art  and  exercise  in  your  defence. 

And  for  your  rapier  most  especially. 

That  he  cried  out,  't  would  be  a  sight  indeed, 

If  one  could  match  you. 

Sir,  this  report  of  his 

Did  Hamlet  so  envenom  with  his  envy. 

That  he  could  nothing  do  but  wish  and  beg 

Your  sudden  coming  o'er,  to  play  with  you. 

Now,  out  of  this. — 

Laer. 

What  out  of  this,  my  lord  ? 

Ki?ig. 

Laertes,  was  your  father  dear  to  you  ? 
Or  are  you  like  the  painting  of  a  sorrow, 
A  face  without  a  heart  ? 

Laer. 
Why  ask  you  this  ? 
13 


HAMLET.  1 02 

.King. 

Hamlet  comes  back  :  what  would  you  undertake, 
To  show  yourself  your  father's  son  in  deed 
More  than  m  words  ? 

Laer. 

To  cut  his  throat  i'  the  church. 

Ki?ig. 

No  place,  indeed,  should  murder  sanctuarize ; 
Revenge  should  have  no  bounds.     But,  good  Laertes, 
Will  you  do  this,  keep  close  within  your  chamber. 
Hamlet,  returned,  shall  know  you  are  come  home: 
We  '11  put  on  those  shall  praise  your  excellence. 
And  set  a  double  varnish  on  the  fame 
The  Frenchman  gave  you ;  bring  you,  in  fine,  together. 
And  wager  on  your  heads :  he,  being  remiss, 
Most  generous,  and  free  from  all  contriving. 
Will  not  peruse  the  foils;  so  that,  with  ease. 
Or  with  a  little  shuffling,  you  may  choose 
A  sword  unbated,  and,  in  a  pass  of  practice. 
Requite  him  for  your  father. 

Laer. 
I  will  do  't : 

And,  for  that  purpose,  I  '11  anoint  my  sword. 
I  bought  an  unction  of  a  mountebank, 
So  mortal,  that  but  dip  a  knife  in  it. 
Where  it  draws  blood  no  cataplasm  so  rare, 
Collected  from  all  simples  that  have  virtue 
Under  the  moon,  can  save  the  thing  from  death 
That  is  but  scratched  withal :   I  '11  touch  my  point 
With  this  contagion,  that,  if  I  gall  him  slightly, 
It  may  be  death. 

Kmg. 

Let  's  further  think  of  this ; 
We  '11  make  a  solemn  wager  on  your  cunnings. 
When  in  your  motion  you  are  hot  and  dry 
(As  make  your  bouts  more  violent  to  that  end). 


HAMLET.  103 

And  that  he  calls  for  drink,  I  '11  have  prepared  him 
A  chalice  for  the  nonce ;  whereon  but  sipping, 
If  he  by  chance  escape  your  venomed  stuck, 
Our  purpose  may  hold  there. 

\E Titer  Que 671  L. 
Queen. 

One  woe  doth  tread  upon  another's  heel, 

So  fast  they  follow  :  —  your  sister  's  drowned,  Laertes. 

Laertes. 
Drowned  !     O,  where  ? 

Qiieett. 

There  is  a  willow  grows  aslant  a  brook, 
That  shows  his  hoar  leaves  in  the  glassy  stream ; 
There  with  fantastic  garlands  did  she  come 
Of  crow-flowers,  nettles,  daisies,  and  long  purples. 
There,  on  the  pendent  boughs  her  coronet  weeds 
Clambering  to  hang,  an  envious  sliver  broke ; 
When  down  her  weedy  trophies  and  herself 
Fell  in  the  weeping  brook. 

Laer. 

I  forbid  my  tears  :  but  yet 

It  is  our  trick  ;  nature  her  custom  holds. 

Let  shame  say  what  it  will. 

Adieu,  my  lord  : 

I  have  a  speech  of  fire,  that  fain  would  blaze, 

But  that  this  folly  drowns  it.  \Exit. 

CURTAIN. 


3lct  jpifti). 

^cene  JFirst  f  ^  Churchyard.     Two   Grave-Diggers, 

■   (        WITH  SPADES,  ETC.,  DISCOVERED. 

First  G.  D. 

Is  she  to  be  buried  in  Christian  burial  that  wilfully  seeks 
her  own  salvation  ? 

Secofid  G.  D. 
I  tell  thee  she  is;  and  therefore  make  her  grave  straight: 
the  crowner  hath  sat  on  her,  and  finds  it  Christian  burial. 

First  G.  D. 

How  can  that  be,  unless  she  drowned  herself  in  her  own 
defence  ? 

Seco?id  G.  D. 
Why,  't  is  found  so. 

First  G.  D. 
It  must  be  se  offendoido ;  it  cannot  be  else.     For  here 
lies  the  point :  if  I  drown  myself  wittingly,  it  argues  an 
act :  and  an  act  hath  three  branches ;  it  is,  to  act,  to  do, 
and  to  perform  :  argal,  she  drowned  herself  wittingly. 

Second  G.  D. 
Nay,  but  hear  you,  goodman  delver, — 

First  G.  D. 
Give  me  leave.  Here  Hes  the  water ;  good :  here  stands 
the  man ;  good  :  if  the  man  go  to  this  water,  and  drown 
himself,  it  is,  will  he,  nill  he,  he  goes, —  mark  you  that;  but 
if  the  water  come  to  him,  and  drown  him,  he  drowns  not 
himself:  argal,  he  that  is  not  guilty  of  his  own  death 
shortens  not  his  own  life. 


HAMLET.  105 

Second  G.  D, 
But  is  this  law  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Ay,  marry,  is  't ;  crowner's-quest  law 

Second  G.  D. 

Will  you  ha'  the  truth  on  't  ?  If  this  had  not  been  a 
gentlewoman,  she  should  have  been  buried  out  of  Christian 
burial. 

First  G.  D. 

Why,  there  thou  sayst :  and  the  more  pity  that  great 
folk  should  have  countenance  in  this  w^orlci  to  drown  or 
hang  themselves,  more  than  their  even  Christian. —  Come, 
my  spade.  There  is  no  ancient  gentlemen  but  gardeners, 
ditchers,  and  grave-makers :  they  hold  up  Adam's  profession. 

Second  G.  D. 
Was  he  a  gentleman  ? 

First  G.  D. 
He  was  the  first  that  ever  bore  arms. 

Second  G.  F>. 

Why,  he  had  none. 

First  G.  D.      . 

What !  art  a  heathen  ?  How  dost  thou  understand  the 
Scripture  ?  The  Scripture  says,  Adam  digged  :  could  he 
dig  without  arms  ?  I  '11  put  another  question  to  thee :  if 
thou  answerest  me  not  to  the  purpose,  confess  thyself — 

Second  G.  D. 
Go  to. 

First  G.  D. 
What  is  he  that  builds  stronger  than   either  the  mason, 
the  shipwright,  or  the  carpenter  ? 

Second  G.  D. 
The  gallows-maker ;  for  that  frame  outlives  a  thousand 
tenants. 


HAiMLET.  1 06 

First  G.  D. 
I  like  thy  wit  well,  in  good  faith:  the  gallows  does  well; 
but  how  does  it  well  ?  it  does  well  to  those  that  do  ill : 
now,  thou  dost  ill  to  say  the  gallows  is  built  stronger  than 
the  church  :  argal,  the  gallows  may  do  well  to  thee.  To  't 
again,  come. 

Second  G.  D. 

Who  builds  stronger  than  a  mason,  a  shipwright,  or  a 
carpenter  ? 

First  G.  I). 
Ay,  tell  me  that,  and  unyoke. 

Second  G.  D. 
Marry,  now  I  can  tell. 

First  G.  D. 
To  't. 

Second  G.  D. 
Mass,  I  cannot  tell. 

First  G.  D, 

Cudgel  thy  brains  no  more  about  it,  for  your  dull  ass 
will  not  mend  his  pace  with  beating ;  and,  when  you  are 
asked  this  question  next,  say,  a  grave-maker ;  —  the  houses 
that  he  makes  last  till  doomsday.  Go,  get  thee  to 
Yaughan;  fetch  me  a  stoop  of  liquor. 

\Exit  Second  G.  D. 

First  G.  D.     [^Digging  and  singing. 

In  youth,  when  I  did  love,  did  love, 

Methought  it  was  very  sweet, 
To  contract,  O,  the  time,  for,  ah  !  my  behove, 

O,  methought  there  was  nothing  meet. 

[Enter  Hamlet  and  Horatio. 

Hamlet. 
Has  this  fellow  no  feeling  of  his  business,  that  he  sings 
at  grave-making  ? 


LM 


HAMLET.  107 

Horatio. 
Custom  hath  made  it  in  him  a  property  of  easiness. 

Hamlet. 

'T  is  e'en  so :  the  hand  of  Httle  employment  hath  the 
daintier  sense. 

First  G.  D.  \Sijigs. 

But  age,  with  his  steahng  steps, 

Hath  clawed  me  in  his  clutch, 
And  hath  shipped  me  intil  the  land. 

As  if  I  had  never  been  such. 

[  111  rows  lip  a  skull. 
Hamlet. 

That  skull  had  a  tongue  in  it,  and  could  sing  once  :  how 
the  knave  jowls  it  to  the  ground,  as  if  it  were  Cain's  jaw- 
bone, that  did  the  first  murder  !  This  might  be  the  pate 
of  a  politician,  which  this  ass  now  o'er-reaches  ;  one  that 
would  circumvent  Heaven,  might  it  not  ? 

Horatio. 

It  might,  my  lord. 

{First  G.  D.  throws  bones  from  the  grave,  OJie  by 
o?ie,  with  his  ha?ids,  tossing  them. 

Hamlet. 

Did  these  bones  cost  no  more  the  breeding,  but  to  play 
at  loggats  with  them  ?  mine  ache  to  think  on  't. 

Fi}'st  G.  D.  \Sings  and  digs. 

A  pick-axe  and  a  spade,  a  spade, 

For  and  a  shrouding  sheet: 
O,  a  pit  of  clay  for  to  be  made 

For  such  a  guest  is  meet. 

[  Throws  icp  another  skull.  The  atiefition  of  the 
Grave- Digger  is  particula^iy  drawn  to  this  skull 
by  the  retnnant  of  a  leather  fooV s  cap  which  ad- 
heres to  it,  and  by  which  he  recognizes  the  skull 
as  that  of  Yorick.  He  sets  this  skull  apart  from, 
the  other. 


HAMLET.  1 08 

Hamlet. 
There  's  another :  why  may  not  that  be  the  skull  of  a 
lawyer  ?  Where  be  his  quiddits  now,  his  quillets,  his  cases, 
his  tenures,  and  his  tricks  ?  why  does  he  sufter  this  rude 
knave  now  to  knock  him  about  the  sconce  with  a  dirty 
shovel,  and  will  not  tell  him  of  his  action  of  battery  ?  I 
will  speak  to  this  fellow.     Whose  grave  's  this,  sirrah  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Mine,  sir. —  \Sings. 

O,  a  pit  of  clay  for  to  be  made 
For  such  a  guest   is   meet. 

Hamlet. 
I  think  it  be  thine,  indeed ;  for  thou  liest  in  't. 

First  G.  D. 

You  lie   out  on  't,  sir,  and  therefore  it  is  not  yours  :  for 
my  part,  I  do  not  lie  in  't,  and  yet  it  is  mine. 

Hamlet. 

Thou  dost  lie  in  't,  to  be  in  't,  and  say  it  is  thine :  't  is 
for  the  dead,  not  for  the  quick ;  therefore  thou  liest. 

First  G.  D. 
'T  is  a  quick  lie,  sir ;  't  will  away  again,  from  me  to  you. 

Hamlet. 
What  man  dost  thou  dig  it  for  ? 

First  G.  D. 
For  no  man,  sir. 

Hamlet. 
What  woman,  then  ? 

First  G.  D. 
For  none,  neither. 

Hainlet. 
Who  is  to  be  buried  in  't  ? 


HAMLET.  109 

First  G.  D. 
One  that  was   a  woman,  sir ;  but,  rest  her  soul,  she   's 
dead. 

Hamlet.  [  To  Horatio. 

How  absolute  the  knave  is  !  we  must  speak  by  the  card, 
or  equivocation  will  undo  us.  [To  First  G.  D?[  How  long 
hast  thou  been  a  grave-maker  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Of  all  the  days  i'  the  year,  I  came   to  't  that  day  that 
our  last  King  Hamlet  o'ercame  Fortinbras. 

Ha?nlet. 
How  long  is  that  since  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Cannot  you  tell  that  ?    every  fool  can  tell  that :  it  was 
the  very  day  that  young  Hamlet  was  bom, —  he  that  is 
mad  and  sent  into  England. 

Hai7ilet. 
Ay,  marry,  why  was  he  sent  into  England  ? 

First  G.  D. 

Why,  because  he  was  mad :  he  shall  recover  his  wits 
there ;  or,  if  he  do  not,  it 's  no  great  matter  there. 

Hamlet. 
Why? 

First  G.  D. 
'T  will  not  be  seen  in  him  there ;  there  the  men  are  as 
/nad  as  he. 

Hamlet. 
How  came  he  mad  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Very  strangely,  they  say. 

Hamlet. 
How  strangely  ? 
14 


HAMLET.  liO 

First  G.  D. 
Faith,  e'en  with  losing  his  wits. 

Hamlet. 
Upon  what  ground  ? 

First  G  D. 

Why,  here  in  Denmark :     I  have  been  sexton  here,  man 
and  boy,  thirty  years. 

Hamlet. 

How  long  will  a  man  lie  i'  the  earth  ere  he  rot  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Faith,  if  he  be  not  rotten  before  he  die,  he  will  last  you 
some  eight  year  or  nine  year :  a  tanner  will  last  you  nine 
year. 

Hamlet. 
Why  he  more  than  another  ? 

First  G.  D. 
Why,  sir,  his  hide  is  so  tanned  with  his  trade,  that  he 
will  keep  out  water  a  great  while ;  and  your  water  is  a  sore 
decayer  of  your  dead  body.     Here's  a  skull  now;    this 
skull  hath  lain  you  i'  the  earth  three  and  twenty  years. 

[Grave-digger  takes  up  the  skull  with  the  leather 
remna?it  adhering  to  it. 

Hamlet. 
Whose  was  it  ? 

First  G.  D. 
A  mad  fellow's  it  was :   whose  do  you  think  it  was  ? 

Hamlet. 
Nay,  I  know  not. 

First  G.  D. 
A  pestilence  on  him  for  a  mad  rogue!   'a  poured  a 
flagon  of  Rhenish  on  my  head   once.     This  same  skull, 
sir,  was  Yorick's  skull,  the  king's  jester. 


liU 


HAMLET.  I  I  2 

Hamlet. 

No,  faith,  not  a  jot;  but  to  follow  him  thither  with 
modesty  enough,  and  likelihood  to  lead  it :  as  thus ; 
Alexander  died,  Alexander  was  buried,  Alexander  retumeth 
into  dust ;  the  dust  is  earth ;  of  earth  we  make  loam ;  and 
why  of  that  loam,  whereto  he  was  converted,  might  they 
not  stop  a  beer-barrel  ? 

Imperial  Caesar,  dead  and  turned  to  clay, 
Might  stop  a  hole  to  keep  the  wind  away: 
O,  that  that  earth,  which  kept  the  world  in  awe. 
Should  patch  a  wall  to  expel  the  winter's  flaw ! 

\Dead  March  is  heard. 
But  soft !    but  soft !    aside  : — here  comes  the  king — 
The  queen,  the  courtiers  :    who  is  that  they  follow  ? 
And  with  such  maimed  rites  ?     This  doth  betoken, 
The  corse  they  follow  did  with  desperate  hand 
Fordo  its  own  life :    't  was  of  some  estate. 
Couch  we  awhile,  and  mark. 

\Re tiring  with  Horatio  r. 

\E}itcr  Priest,  b'c.^  in  procession,  with  Corse  of 
Ophelia,— Laertes  and  Mourners  following; 
King,  Queen,  their  trains,  &'c.  The  Corse  is 
borne  upon  a  bier  by  four  or  six  women,  who 
stand  in  front  of  the  grave  imtil  the  coffin  has 
been  lowered  by  the  grave-diggers  to  its  place. 
Fune7'al  music  sounds  till  then,  when  it  ceases, 
and  the  dialogue  begins. 

Laer. 

What  ceremony  else  ? 

Hamlet. 

That  is  Laertes, 

A  very  noble  youth  :    mark. 

Laer. 
What  ceremony  else  ? 


HAMLET.  113 

Priest. 

Her  obsequies  have  been  as  far  enlarged 

As  we  have  warranty  :    her  death  was  doubtful ; 

And,  but  that  great  command  o'ersways  the  order, 

She  should  in  ground  unsanctified  have  lodged 

Till  the  last  trumpet ;    for  charitable  prayers. 

Shards,  flints,  and  pebbles,  should  be  thrown  on  her : 

Yet  here  she  is  allowed  her  virgin  crants, 

Her  maiden  strewments,  and  the  bringing  home 

Of  bell  and  burial. 

Laer. 
Must  there  no  more  be  done  ? 

Priest. 

No  more  be  done  ! 

We  should  profane  the  service  of  the  dead 
To  sing  a  requiem,  and  such  rest  to  her 
As  to  peace-parted  souls. 

Laer. 

O,  from  her  fair  and  unpolluted  flesh 

May  violets  spring !  —  I  tell  thee,  churlish  priest, 

A  ministering  angel  shall  my  sister  be, 

When  thou  liest  howling. 

Ha7nlet. 
What !    the  fair  Ophelia ! 

Queen. 

[  Scattering  flowers. 

Sweets  to  the  sweet :    farevv-ell ! 

I  hoped  thou  shouldst  have  been  my  Hamlet's  wife ; 
I  thought  thy  bride-bed  to  have  decked,  sweet  maid. 
And  not  have  strewed  thy  grave. 

Laer. 
O,  treble  woe 

Fall  ten  times  treble  on  that  cursed  head, 
\Vhose  wicked  deed  thy  most  ingenious  sense 
Deprived  thee  of!  —  Hold  off  the  earth  awhile, 


HAMLET.  114 

Till  I  have  caught  her  once  more  in  mine  arms  : 

[Le(i/>s  into  the  grave. 
Now  pile  your  dust  upon  the  quick  and  dead, 
Till  of  this  flat  a  mountain  you  have  made, 
To  o'ertop  old  Pehon,  or  the  skyish  head 
Of  blue  Olympus. 

Hamlet. 
What  is  he  whose  grief 

Bears  such  an  emphasis  ?    whose  phrase  of  sorrow 
Conjures  the  wandering  stars,  and  makes  them  stand 
Like  wonder- wounded  hearers  ?     This  is  I, 
Hamlet,  the  Dane. 

\Hamlet  advances. 
Lae?'. 
\Leaps  out  of  the  grave  and  rushes  upon  Ha}?ilet. 
The  devil  take  thy  soul ! 

\Hamlet  and  Laertes  struggle  together  for  a  moment. 

Ki?ig 
Pluck  them  asunder. 

Hamlet. 
Thou  prayest  not  well. 

I  pr'ythee,  take  thy  lingers  from  my  throat ; 
For,  though  I  am  not  splenitive  and  rash. 
Yet  have  I  in  me  something  dangerous. 
Which  let  thy  wiseness  fear  :    hold  off  thy  hand! 

[  The  attenda?its  part  them. 

Hamlet. 

\Miy,  I  will  fight  with  him  upon  this  theme 
Until  my  eyelids  will  no  longer  wag. 

Queen. 

O,  my  son,  what  theme  ? 

Hamlet. 

I  loved  Ophelia  :  forty  thousand  brothers 
Could  not,  with  all  their  quantity  of  love. 
Make  up  my  sum. —  What  wilt  thou  do  for  her  ? 


HAMLET.  11^ 

Qjieefi. 
O,  he  is  mad,  Laertes. 

Hatnlet. 

Come  !  show  me  what  thou  'It  do  : 

Woul't  weep  ?  woul't  fight?  woul't  fast?  woul't  tear'thyself? 

I  '11  do  't. —  Dost  thou  come  here  to  whine  ? 

To  outface  me  with  leaping  in  her  grave  ? 

Be  buried  quick  with  her,  and  so  will  I  : 

And  if  thou  prate  of  mountains,  let  them  throw 

Millions  of  acres  on  us,  till  our  ground 

Singeing  his  pate  against  the  burning  zone, 

Make  Ossa  like  a  wart !      Nay,  an  thou  'It  mouth, 

I  '11  rant  as  well  as  thou. 

Qiieen. 
This  is  mere  madness  : 
And  thus  awhile  the  fit  will  work  on  him ; 
Anon,  as  patient  as  the  female  dove. 
When  that  her  golden  couplets  are  disclosed, 
His  silence  will  sit  drooping. 

Hamlet. 
Hear  you,  sir ; 

What  is  the  reason  that  you  use  me  thus  ? 
I  loved  you  ever  :  but  it  is  no  matter; 
Let  Hercules  himself  do  what  he  may, 
The  cat  will  mew,  and  dog  will  have  his  day. 

\^Exit  Hamlet  r. 

Khig. 

I  pray  you,  good  Horatio,  wait  upon  him. — 

[Exit  Horatio  r, 
[To  Laertes.]     Strengthen  your  patience  in  our  last  night's 

speech ; 
We  '11  put  the  matter  to  the  present  push, — 
Good  Gertrude,  set  some  watch  over  your  son. — 
This  grave  shall  have  a  living  monument. 

[Picture.     Dead  March.     Scene  changes. 


HAMLET.  Il6 

^cene  ^ecnnlJ. —  In  Front  of  the  Castle. 

[Enter  Hamlet  a?id  Horatio. 

Hamlet. 
But  I  am  very  sorry,  good  Horatio, 
That  to  Laertes  I  forgot  myself; 
For,  by  the  image  of  my  cause,  I  see 
The  portraiture  of  his. 

Horatio. 
Who  comes  here  ? 

[E?iter  Osric  l. 
Osr. 
Your  lordship  is  right  welcome  back  to  Denmark. 

Hamlet. 
I  humbly  thank  you,  sir. — 
Dost  know  this  water-fly  ?  \Aside  to  Horatio. 

Horatio.  [Aside  to  Hamlet. 

No,  my  good  lord. 

Hamlet.  [Aside  to  Horatio. 

Thy  state  is  the  more  gracious;  for  'tis  a  vice  to  know  him. 

Osr. 

Sweet  lord,  if  your   lordship   were  at  leisure,  I   should 
impart  a  thing  to  you  from  his  majesty. 

Hamlet. 
I  will   receive  it,   sir,  with  all  dihgence  of  spirit.     Put 
your  bonnet  to  his  right  use ;  't  is  for  the  head. 

Osr. 
I  thank  your  lordship,  't  is  very  hot. 

Hainlet. 
No,  believe  me,  't  is  very  cold ;  the  wind  is  northerly. 


HAMLET.  117 

Osr. 
It  is  indifferent  cold,  my  lord,  indeed. 

Hajnlei. 

But  yet,  methinks  it  is  very  sultry  and  hot ;  or  my  com- 
plexion — 

Osr. 

Exceedingly,  my  lord ;  it  is  very  sultry, —  as  't  were,—  I 
cannot  tell  how. —  But,  my  lord,  his  majesty  bade  me  sig- 
nify to  you,  that  he  has  laid  a  great  wager  on  your  head  : 
sir,  this  is  the  matter, — 

Hamlet. 

I  beseech  you,  remember — 

\^Haj7ilet  7noves  him  to  put  on  his  hat. 

Osr. 

Nay,  in  good  faith;  for  mine  ease,  in  good  faith.  Sir, 
here  is  newly  come  to  court  Laertes ;  believe  me,  an  abso- 
lute gentleman,  full  of  most  excellent  differences,  of  very 
soft  society,  and  great  showing :  indeed,  to  speak  feelingly 
of  him,  he  is  the  card  or  calendar  of  gentry,  for  you  shall 
find  in  him  the  continent  of  what  part  a  gentleman  would 
see. 

Ha?nlet. 

What  imports  the  nomination  of  this  gentleman  ? 

Osr. 
Of  Laertes  ? 

Hamlet. 
Of  him,  sir. 

Osr. 
You  are  not  ignorant  of  what  excellence  Laertes  is  — 

Ha77ilet. 

I  dare  not  confess  that,  lest  I  should  compare  with  him 
in  excellence. 
15 


HAMLET.  Il8 

Osr. 
I  mean,  sir,  for  his  weapon. 

Hamld. 
What  is  his  weapon  ? 

Osr. 
Rapier  and  dagger. 

Hamlet. 
That  's  two  of  his  weapons :  but,  well. 

Osr. 
The  king,  sir,  hath  wagered  with  him  six  Barbary  horses : 
against  the  which  he  has  imponed,  as  I  take  it,  six  French 
rapiers  and  poniards,  with  their  assigns,  as  girdle,  hangers, 
and  so  :  three  of  the  carriages,  in  faith,  are  very  dear  to 
fancy,  very  responsive  to  the  hilts,  most  delicate  carriages, 
and  of  very  liberal  conceit. 

Hamlet. 
What  call  you  the  carriages  ? 

Osr. 

The  carriages,  sir,  are  the  hangers. 

Hamlet. 
The  phrase  would  be  more  german  to  the  matter,  if  we 
could  carry  cannon  by  our  sides. 

Osr. 
The  king,  sir,  hath  laid,  that  in  a  dozen  passes  between 
yourself  and  him,  he  shall  not  exceed  you  three  hits  :    he 
hath  laid  on  twelve  for  nine;  and  it  would  come  to  imme- 
diate trial,  if  your  lordship  would  vouchsafe  the  answer  ? 

Hamlet. 

How  if  I  answer  no  ? 

Osr. 
I  mean,  my  lord,  the  opposition  of  your  person  in  trial. 


HAMLET.  119 

Hamlet. 
Sir,  it  is  the  breathing  time  of  day  with  me ;  let  the  foils 
be  brought,  the  gentleman  willing,  and  the  king  hold  his 
purpose,  I  will  win  for  him  if  I  can;  if  not,  I  will   gain 
nothing  but  my  shame  and  the  odd  hits. 

Osr. 
Shall  I  deliver  you  so  ? 

Hamlet. 
To  this  effect,  sir ;  after  what  flourish  your  nature  will. 

Osr. 
I  commend  my  duty  to  your  lordship.  \^Exit  Osric. 

Horatio. 
You  will  lose  this  wager,  my  lord. 

Havilet. 

I  do  not  think  so;  since  he  went  into  France,  I  have 
been  in  continual  practice.  But  thou  wouldst  not  think 
how  ill  all 's  here  about  my  heart :  but  it  is  no  matter. 

Horatio. 

Nay,  good  my  lord, — 

Hamlet. 

It  is  but  foolery ;  but  it  is  such  a  kind  of  gain-giving  as 
would  perhaps  trouble  a  woman. 

Horatio. 
If  your  mind  dislike  anything,  obey  it :  I  will  forestall 
their  repair  hither,  and  say  you  are  not  fit. 

Hamlet. 
Not  a  whit :  we  defy  augury :  there's  a  special  providence 
in  the  fall  of  a  sparrow.'  If  it  be  now,  't  is  not  to  come ; 
if  it  be  not  to  come,  it  will  be  now ;  if  it  be  not  now,  yet 
it  will  come  :  the  readiness  is  all :  since  no  man,  of  aught 
he  leaves,  knows,  what  is  't  to  leave  betimes?     Let  be. 

[Exeunt.     Change. 


HAMLET.  T20 

A  Hall  in  the  Castle.     King,  Queen, 
Laertes,      Bernardo,      Marcellus, 
^ccne  Cl^irll.  <J      Lords,  Osric,  and  Attendants,  with 
Foils,  &c.,  are  Discovered.    Flour- 
ish OF  Trumpets. 

[Hamlet  and  Horatio  enter. 

King. 

Come,  Hamlet,  come,  and  take  this  hand  from  me. 

Hamlet. 

Give  me  your  pardon,  sir;  I  've  done  you  wrong; 

But  pardon  it,  as  you  are  a  gentleman. 

Let  my  disclaiming  from  a  purposed  evil 

Free  me  so  far  in  your  most  generous  thoughts, 

That  I  have  shot  mine  arrow  o'er  the  house, 

And  hurt  my  brother. 

Laer. 

I  am  satisfied  in  nature. 

Whose  motive,  in  this  case,  should  stir  me  most 

To  my  revenge : 

I  do  receive  your  offered  love  like  love 

And  will  not  wrong  it. 

Hamlet. 

I  embrace  it  freely; 

And  will  this  brother's  wager  frankly  play. — 

Give  us  the  foils. 

Laer. 
Come,  one  for  me. 

Hamlet. 

I  '11  be  your  foil,  Laertes ;  in  mine  ignorance 
Your  skill  shall,  like  a  star  i'  the  darkest  night, 
Stick  fiery  off  indeed. 

Laer. 
You  mock  me,  sir. 


HAMLET.  121 

Hamlet. 

No,  by  this  hand. 

King. 

Give  them  the  foils,  young  Osric. 

[  Osric  gives  a  foil  to  each. 
Cousin  Hamlet, 
You  know  the  wager .? 

Ha?)ilet. 
Very  well,  my  lord ; 
Your  grace  hath  laid  the  odds  o'  the  weaker  side. 

Ki7ig 
I  do  not  fear  it ;  I  have  seen  you  both : 
But  since  he  is  bettered,  we  have  therefore  odds. 

Laer. 

This  is  too  heavy,  let  me  see  another. 

Hamlet. 

This  likes  me  well.     These  foils  have  all  a  length  ? 

Osr. 
Ay,  my  good  lord. 

King 

If  Hamlet  give  the  first  or  second  hit. 
Or  quit  in  answer  of  the  third  exchange, 

S^Laertes^  nnseen  by  the  others^ poisons  his  weapon. 
Let  all  the  battlements  their  ordnance  fire, 
The  king  shall  drink  to  Hamlet's  better  breath; 
And  in  the  cup  a  union  shall  he  throw, 
Richer  than  that  which  four  successive  kings 
In  Denmark's  crown  have  worn.     Give  me  the  cup ; 

\Ber7iardo  gives  cup  to  the  King. 
And  let  the  ketde  to  the  trumpet  speak. 
The  trumpet  to  the  cannoneer  without. 
The  cannons  to  the  heavens,  the  heavens  to  earth. 
"  Now  the  king  drinks  to  Hamlet." — [Flourish  and  cannon. 
\Ha7}ilet  and  Laertes  take  position  to  fetice.     Music. 
Come,  begin;  — 
And  you,  the  judges,  bear  a  wary  eye. 

{They  play. 


HAMLET.  122 

Hamlet. 
One. 

Laer. 

No. 

Hamlet. 

Judgment. 
I  Osr. 

l    A  hit,  a  very  palpable  hit. 

Laer. 
\    Well ;  —  again. 

King. 

\Drops  poison  in  the  cup. 

Stay.     Hamlet,  this  pearl  is  thine ; 
Here  's  to  thy  health. 

\Prete7ids  to  drifik.      Trumpets  sou/id,  and  cannon 
are  shot  off  within. 
Give  him  the  cup. 

Hamlet. 

I  '11  play  this  bout  first ;  set  it  by  awhile. — 

Come.     [77iey play.]  —  Another  hit;  what  say  you  ? 

Laer. 
A  touch,  a  touch,  I  do  confess. 

Ki?ig. 
Our  son  shall  win. 

Queen. 

The  queen  carouses  to  thy  fortune,  Hamlet. 

[  Takes  the  cup  and  drinks. 

Hamlet, 
Good  madam ! 

[  While  the  Queen  drinks,  Osric  and  others  approach 
the  King. 

King. 
Gertrude,  do  not  drink.  [Sudde?tly  obsendng  Queen, 


HAMLET.  123 

I  have,  my  lord ;  I  pray  you,  pardon  me. 

King.  [Aside. 

It  is  the  poisoned  cup ;  it  is  too  late. 

Laer.  [Aside. 

I  '11  hit  him  now. 
And  yet  't  is  ahiiost  'gainst  my  conscience. 

Hamlet. 

Come,  for  the  third,  Laertes  :  you  but  dally  ; 
I  pray  you,  pass  with  your  best  violence ; 
I  am  afeard  you  make  a  wanton  of  me. 

Laer. 

Say  you  so  ?  come  on. 

[T/iey  play.  Laertes  wounds  Hat)ilet ;  then,  in 
scuffling,  they  change  rapiers,  and  Hamlet 
wounds  Laertes. 

King. 

Part  them;  they  are  incensed. 

Hamlet. 

Nay,  come  again. 

[The  Queen  moans. 

Osr. 

Look  to  the  queen  there,  ho ! 

Horatio. 
How  is  it,  my  lord  ? 

Osr. 
How  is  it,  Laertes  ? 

Laer. 
Why,  as  a  woodcock  to  mine  own  springe,  Osric; 
I  am  justly  killed  with  mine  own  treachery. 

Ha7nlet. 
How  does  the  queen  ? 


HAMLET.  124 

Kmg. 
She  swoons  to  see  them  bleed. 

Qjicen. 

No,  no,  the  drink,  the  drink,—  O,  my  dear  Hamlet,— 
The  drink,  the  drink!—  I  am  poisoned. 

\The  Kmg  and  others  assist  the  Queen  —  who  is 
led  out,  followed  by  her  ladies.  The  King  re- 
turns and  calls  his  lords  around  him  on  the 
throne. 

Hamlet. 

O,  villainy!  —  Ho!  let  the  door  be  locked: 
Treachery !  seek  it  out. 

\Guaj'ds  exeunt.     Laertes  falls  into  chair  r. 

Laer. 

It  is  here,  Hamlet :   Hamlet,  thou  art  slain  ; 
No  medicine  in  the  world  can  do  thee  good, 
In  thee  there  is  not  half  an  hour  of  hfe; 
The  treacherous  instrument  is  in  thy  hand, 
Unbated  and  envenomed  :  the  foul  practice 
Hath  turned  itself  on  me ;  lo,  here  I  lie, 
Never  to  rise  again :  thy  mother  's  poisoned  :  — 
I  can  no  more :  —  the  king,  the  king  's  to  blame. 

Hainlet. 

The  point, —  envenomed  too! — 
Then,  venom,  to  thy  work. 

All. 

Treason !  treason ! 

[Lords  draw  their  swords  to  defend  the  King. 
JLamlet  7'ushes  through  the  croivd  and  stabs  him. 

ILamlet. 

Here,  thou  incestuous,  murderous,  damned  Dane, 
Follow  my  mother. 

[  The  King  falls  and  dies. 


t   A 


tfi 


HAMLET.  125 

Lacr. 
He  is  justly  served  ; 

Exchange  forgiveness  with  me,  noble  Hamlet : 
Mine  and  my  father's  death  come  not  on  thee, 
Nor  thine  on  me ! 

[Laertes  dies. 
Hamlet. 

Heaven  make  thee  free  of  it !     I  follow  thee. 
Horatio,  I  am  dead; 

Thou  liv'st ;  report  me  and  my  cause  aright 
To  the  unsatisfied. 

Horatio. 
Never  believe  it  : 

I  am  more  an  antique  Roman  than  a  Dane : 
Here  's  yet  some  liquor  left. 

[Seizes  the  cup.     Hamlet  wrests  it  from  him, 

Hamlet. 
As  thou  'rt  a  man, 

Give  me  the  cup:  let  go;  by  heaven,  I  '11  have  it. — 
O,  good  Horatio,  what  a  wounded  name. 
Things  standing  thus  unknown,  shall  hve  behind  me! 
If  thou  didst  ever  hold  me  in  thy  heart, 
Absent  thee  from  felicity  awhile, 
And  in  this  harsh  world  draw  thy  breath  in  pain, 
To  tell  my  story. 
O,  1  die,  Horatio; 

The  potent  poison  quite  o'er-crows  my  spirit. 
The  rest  is  silence. 

[Hamlet  dies, 

Horatio. 

Now  cracks  a  noble  heart: — good  night,  sweet  prince; 
And  flights  of  angels  sing  thee  to  thy  rest !  — 

[March    (of   Fortinbras )  is    heard   at   distatice. 
Picture. 

SLOW    CURTAIN. 


^1< 

ahiti< 


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RETURN  TO  "l^'yt^ 

Humahities  Graduate  Ser^e 


Tel.  No.  642^481 

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and  HOUR  stamped  below. 


'JAW  19  1988 


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(P2004sl0)476-A-32 


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